This Fall, Stonehill students are interning in a wide variety of sites:
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Senator Edward Kennedy/Paul Kirk
Interpol
St. Columban Missionary Society
Office of Representative Dave Camp
Peace Corps Mid Atlantic Regional Recruiting Office
The Center for Education Reform
Financial Services Roundtable, HOPE NOW
mCapitol Management
Catholic Diocese of Arlington - Migration and Refugee Services
The Protection Project@ Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced Interntaional Studies
Institute for Global Engagement
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Greetings from the Capitol!
My name is Brenna Kelly and I am a junior Political Science major at Stonehill. I am studying at American University through the Washington Semester Program. The program I am enrolled in is American Politics, and I am interning in Senator Kennedy's office.
What an experience this semester has been so far! I began researching and applying to internships over the summer, and was lucky to secure the position in Senator Kennedy's office in July. I was sent an intern binder with all types of information regarding working on "the Hill," and was so excited to get here and start! Sadly, on August 25th, Senator Edward Kennedy passed away after holding his senate seat for over forty years and creating a legacy as one of the most well respected and influential members of Congress in history. I began my internship on August 27th, and really did not know what to expect. Luckily I was able to stay in the office, and the opportunity of working there during such a historic time has been incredible. I have been able to meet all kinds of people, and I now truly understand how much positive change you can create by dedicating yourself to public service, as Senator Kennedy had.
That being said, Capitol Hill is pretty much the coolest place you could work. On my way to the office everyday after exiting the Capitol South metro station I get to walk by the US Capitol and the Supreme Court as the sun rises over them. As corny as it sounds, as a poli-sci nerd I totally appreciate this! I have also spotted various politicians in my adventures around the Hill, including Vice President Biden, Senator Kerry and Senator McCain.
My seminar program at American is just as interesting. I decided to study through AU because the program is focused not only on interning, but a great deal on academics and I felt this was the best way to get the most out of being here. I am incredibly happy with this decision. So far we have studied elections and campaigns, campaign finance reform, the financial bailout, and will soon be moving on to the presidency, which I am very excited for! Some of our speakers have included Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Norm Eisen (Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform), Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Leon Sequeira (former Asst. Secretary of Labor, Program Policy, Research and Technology), Bob Schieffer (CBS Chief Washington Correspondent), Tad Devine (one of the leading campaign PR people in the world) and Steven Walther (Chairman of the Federal Election Commission). My class has also visited some great places too, including the Newseum, National Holocaust Museum, and various committee hearings.
Also, as part of the Washington Semester program, I am conducting a research project on the Family Reunification Act of 2009, that was introduced on the Senate Floor on May 20th and on the House floor in June. The professors here have gone above and beyond helping with the internship, research project, and making the overall DC experience a wonderful experience.
Finally, living in DC is great because it is such an incredible city. We live on the AU "Tenley Campus," which has its own academic building, gym and cafeteria. It is a five minute walk to the Tenleytown AU metro stop, and is also very close to Subway, Bestbuy, Whole Foods, CVS, Dominoe's, an amazing smoothie place, Robek's, and Guapos, a great Mexican restaurant. There is always something to do, and so many cool places to visit. Besides the monuments on the National Mall, I have visited various Smithsonian museums (American History is my favorite, you can't beat seeing Dorothy's ruby slippers!), the International Spy Museum (so cool!), Georgetown for shopping and great restaurants, a Nationals game (not the Red Sox but still lots of fun), the National Book Fair, and Six Flags America in Maryland. I still have a long list of places I want to visit before I leave!
I hope this helps! Have a fab semester and stay tuned for more posts!
My name is Brenna Kelly and I am a junior Political Science major at Stonehill. I am studying at American University through the Washington Semester Program. The program I am enrolled in is American Politics, and I am interning in Senator Kennedy's office.
What an experience this semester has been so far! I began researching and applying to internships over the summer, and was lucky to secure the position in Senator Kennedy's office in July. I was sent an intern binder with all types of information regarding working on "the Hill," and was so excited to get here and start! Sadly, on August 25th, Senator Edward Kennedy passed away after holding his senate seat for over forty years and creating a legacy as one of the most well respected and influential members of Congress in history. I began my internship on August 27th, and really did not know what to expect. Luckily I was able to stay in the office, and the opportunity of working there during such a historic time has been incredible. I have been able to meet all kinds of people, and I now truly understand how much positive change you can create by dedicating yourself to public service, as Senator Kennedy had.
That being said, Capitol Hill is pretty much the coolest place you could work. On my way to the office everyday after exiting the Capitol South metro station I get to walk by the US Capitol and the Supreme Court as the sun rises over them. As corny as it sounds, as a poli-sci nerd I totally appreciate this! I have also spotted various politicians in my adventures around the Hill, including Vice President Biden, Senator Kerry and Senator McCain.
My seminar program at American is just as interesting. I decided to study through AU because the program is focused not only on interning, but a great deal on academics and I felt this was the best way to get the most out of being here. I am incredibly happy with this decision. So far we have studied elections and campaigns, campaign finance reform, the financial bailout, and will soon be moving on to the presidency, which I am very excited for! Some of our speakers have included Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Norm Eisen (Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform), Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Leon Sequeira (former Asst. Secretary of Labor, Program Policy, Research and Technology), Bob Schieffer (CBS Chief Washington Correspondent), Tad Devine (one of the leading campaign PR people in the world) and Steven Walther (Chairman of the Federal Election Commission). My class has also visited some great places too, including the Newseum, National Holocaust Museum, and various committee hearings.
Also, as part of the Washington Semester program, I am conducting a research project on the Family Reunification Act of 2009, that was introduced on the Senate Floor on May 20th and on the House floor in June. The professors here have gone above and beyond helping with the internship, research project, and making the overall DC experience a wonderful experience.
Finally, living in DC is great because it is such an incredible city. We live on the AU "Tenley Campus," which has its own academic building, gym and cafeteria. It is a five minute walk to the Tenleytown AU metro stop, and is also very close to Subway, Bestbuy, Whole Foods, CVS, Dominoe's, an amazing smoothie place, Robek's, and Guapos, a great Mexican restaurant. There is always something to do, and so many cool places to visit. Besides the monuments on the National Mall, I have visited various Smithsonian museums (American History is my favorite, you can't beat seeing Dorothy's ruby slippers!), the International Spy Museum (so cool!), Georgetown for shopping and great restaurants, a Nationals game (not the Red Sox but still lots of fun), the National Book Fair, and Six Flags America in Maryland. I still have a long list of places I want to visit before I leave!
I hope this helps! Have a fab semester and stay tuned for more posts!
Semester in D.C.
Hi Stonehill!
My name is Jennifer Juliano, I am a junior and an Economics and Elementary Education double major. I am participating in the American University Washington Semester Program, specifically the Economic Policy Seminar Program, and I am interning at the Center for Education Reform.
I decided to "study-abroad" in D.C. instead of going to another country for two reasons. The first being I lived overseas for 12 years before coming to Stonehill and I felt that I already had the international experience and wanted to explore the U.S. and what it had to offer for me. The second reason I chose to spend my semester in D.C. was that I felt it would point me in the right direction for what I wanted to do after graduation. Since I am not interested in becoming a school teacher, but am interested in the policy making of education and its reform, D.C. has been the perfect place for me to explore this interest. Up until this point I haven't been able to combine my two majors and Washington has allowed me to examine both subjects together and see the relationship between education and economics.
I am in the Economic Policy Seminar and like Therese said, there are a lot of international students studying here with us. This has made for a very rich learning environment and has allowed me to get the different economic perspective of students from Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Korea and Japan. There is also an American student who is a strong follower and believer of Ron Paul which has resulted in some very interesting debates. My professor starts off each week with an interactive lecture about the topic of the week. So far we have covered the current state of the U.S. economy, monetary policy, fiscal policy, U.S. housing policy, health care and next week is energy policy. With each new topic we visit at least two speakers and go to a hearing on Capitol Hill. Last week at the Hearing of the House Committee on Financial Services Timothy Geithner was testifying on financial regulation. Some of our field trips include Capitol Hill, the Pentagon and the Newseum. We have also had speakers come talk to us from the Federal Reserve, the Congressional Budget Office, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Council of Economic Advisors, the FDIC and other various agencies and think-tanks.
My Internship at the Center for Education Reform has also been a great learning experience. So far I have been doing a great deal of work with charter schools which has been fascinating since charter schools are not taught in the Education classes at Stonehill.
D.C. definitely has a lot going on and a great deal to offer! It is a great fast-paced young city that I'm sure you will enjoy just as much as I have!
I hope our posts have given you a good idea on what the semester in Washington is all about! I'll post more later!
My name is Jennifer Juliano, I am a junior and an Economics and Elementary Education double major. I am participating in the American University Washington Semester Program, specifically the Economic Policy Seminar Program, and I am interning at the Center for Education Reform.
I decided to "study-abroad" in D.C. instead of going to another country for two reasons. The first being I lived overseas for 12 years before coming to Stonehill and I felt that I already had the international experience and wanted to explore the U.S. and what it had to offer for me. The second reason I chose to spend my semester in D.C. was that I felt it would point me in the right direction for what I wanted to do after graduation. Since I am not interested in becoming a school teacher, but am interested in the policy making of education and its reform, D.C. has been the perfect place for me to explore this interest. Up until this point I haven't been able to combine my two majors and Washington has allowed me to examine both subjects together and see the relationship between education and economics.
I am in the Economic Policy Seminar and like Therese said, there are a lot of international students studying here with us. This has made for a very rich learning environment and has allowed me to get the different economic perspective of students from Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Korea and Japan. There is also an American student who is a strong follower and believer of Ron Paul which has resulted in some very interesting debates. My professor starts off each week with an interactive lecture about the topic of the week. So far we have covered the current state of the U.S. economy, monetary policy, fiscal policy, U.S. housing policy, health care and next week is energy policy. With each new topic we visit at least two speakers and go to a hearing on Capitol Hill. Last week at the Hearing of the House Committee on Financial Services Timothy Geithner was testifying on financial regulation. Some of our field trips include Capitol Hill, the Pentagon and the Newseum. We have also had speakers come talk to us from the Federal Reserve, the Congressional Budget Office, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Council of Economic Advisors, the FDIC and other various agencies and think-tanks.
My Internship at the Center for Education Reform has also been a great learning experience. So far I have been doing a great deal of work with charter schools which has been fascinating since charter schools are not taught in the Education classes at Stonehill.
D.C. definitely has a lot going on and a great deal to offer! It is a great fast-paced young city that I'm sure you will enjoy just as much as I have!
I hope our posts have given you a good idea on what the semester in Washington is all about! I'll post more later!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
busy busy busy
My name is Therese Mance and I am a current Junior, International Studies major, studying at American University Washington Semester Student interning at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington - Migrant and Refugee Services.
Stonehill, here are my words for you...
I consider myself pretty well traveled and I've always been one to look forward to meeting new people, trying new foods, and experiencing new adventures. Washington, DC is like nothing I've ever encountered! Although I'd have to say that people aren't quite as friendly as Stonehill (but really who IS?!) I've been blessed enough to have been offered a dream internship at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington - Migrant and Refugee Services. The small office that I work in is the most diverse group I've worked with in my life, there are Nepalese, Somalian, Colombian, Egyptian, American, Iraqi, and Europeans representing various religious differences as well....It's truly amazing to work with these people everyday! I work specifically with the Education office where we help students register for school, get tested for ESL (English as a Second Language), and set up mentoring and tutoring volunteers with the students in their transition to the new culture. Since beginning my job, I have already been given various tasks to complete, some fun, some uncomfortable, but always teaching me something new about myself or the life of an immigrant or refugee in the United States.
My internship search was pretty normal, nothing too exciting occurred. I applied to 4 places, but only ended up hearing back from 3 groups for interest in a follow-up interview. Some of the interviews were more casual than others, but I found it to be helpful to write an introspective paper before going into the interviews. By the end of my search, I was offered positions at all three of the groups and choose the Migrant and Refugee Services in Arlington, and despite the hour long commute every morning, I regret nothing in my decision.
The community at American University has been receptive to all kinds of people and the language barriers that are everywhere! I live with 2 french graduate students in the Tenley Campus dorms, and despite my 6 years study of French, I still understand very little when they speak. One thing I didn't know before coming to Washington was how much of an international program this was, I believe its somewhere between 50-55% of the program is foreign students studying for the semester or year. Ranging from French, German, Swedish, Colombian, Japanese, English, Ukrainian, Nepalese, Chinese, and Mexican, this program has some of the brightest students from around the world coming to DC for internships, networking, and experience. It can seem overwhelming at first, but it's a lot of fun to meet all these different people.
I am part of the Foreign Policy Seminar so my professor has found a nice balance between American politics and international relations. I have gotten the chance to meet with many different people as guest speakers in my seminar including Bob Scheiffer (CBS Washington Chief Correspondent), Senator Richard Lugar (Rep.-Indiana), Mr. Julius Menn (Holocaust Survivor), Ted Carpenter (CATO Institute VP for Defense and Foreign Policy), Dr. Theodore Bromound (The Heritage Foundation), and so many more! As you can see there is so much to say and I've only been here for a month!
Outside of classes, studying, and interning, I have taken the time to really explore various parts of the city including the National Mall, The National Archives (to see the Constitution which is the most important document in our nation's history and must be known for any class with Professor Ubertaccio... he'll even offer you a pocket Constitution.), the National Holocaust Museum, the U St. Neighborhood, and most importantly Georgetown Cupcake. As you can see things have been pretty busy down here in DC and things will not be letting up anytime soon...
stay posted for later posts.
First Month in Washington!
Hello future interns!
My name is Diana Cabral and I am currently a junior at Stonehill! My major is Criminology which is why I am taking part in the Law and Criminal Justice program at The Washington Center here in D.C.! I am interning with INTERPOL- U.S. National Central Bureau. This organization handles domestic and foreign intelligence requests while coordinating international policing matters. If you have never heard of this organization, no worries, I didn't either. While I initially hoped to work with the CIA or FBI, I am pleased to say that I am very thankful with my opportunity to work for INTERPOL. I strongly encourage you to explore an internship with INTERPOL if you wish to have a future job in law enforcement.
INTERPOL is co-managed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. This unique sharing of the organizations allows for agents from both departments to hold positions at the USNCB. I am working in the Drug Division of INTERPOL under two senior DEA agents. In the same building, there are DHS/ICE, FBI, USSS, USMS, FDA, CBP, EPA, and ATF agents just to name a few. Not only does my internship allow me to network simply within my division, but I am able to walk down the hallway and have access to numerous agents from the a/m agencies in order to gain a holistic understanding of how each agency works!
As far as adjusting to life in Washington....
Although I have never had to rely on public transportation in my life, it is relatively easy to get used to. You figure out pretty quickly how to navigate to and from work, class, and program events.
The apartments rented for The Washington Center are very nice... or so I hear from other interns, whatever you do, DO NOT live in Grosvenor Towers. (Apparently I missed the memo that the nickname for Grosvenor Towers is "Ghetto Towers" and now I am living in an apartment with numerous problems.) The other apartment complexes are very nice, especially Fenestra, so try to live there if you can! At any rate, a spacious apartment is still preferable to living in a dorm room.
There are many thing to see down here so make sure to plan trips to visit the monuments and museums if you decide to come. The Metro can get you in walking distance of pretty much everything so don't feel trapped if you cant bring your car.
This program is a great way to experience Washington D.C. and learn how to work in a professional business setting while still getting credit at Stonehill!
I hope this little bit of information helps you out and I will be sure to post more in the future!
My name is Diana Cabral and I am currently a junior at Stonehill! My major is Criminology which is why I am taking part in the Law and Criminal Justice program at The Washington Center here in D.C.! I am interning with INTERPOL- U.S. National Central Bureau. This organization handles domestic and foreign intelligence requests while coordinating international policing matters. If you have never heard of this organization, no worries, I didn't either. While I initially hoped to work with the CIA or FBI, I am pleased to say that I am very thankful with my opportunity to work for INTERPOL. I strongly encourage you to explore an internship with INTERPOL if you wish to have a future job in law enforcement.
INTERPOL is co-managed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. This unique sharing of the organizations allows for agents from both departments to hold positions at the USNCB. I am working in the Drug Division of INTERPOL under two senior DEA agents. In the same building, there are DHS/ICE, FBI, USSS, USMS, FDA, CBP, EPA, and ATF agents just to name a few. Not only does my internship allow me to network simply within my division, but I am able to walk down the hallway and have access to numerous agents from the a/m agencies in order to gain a holistic understanding of how each agency works!
As far as adjusting to life in Washington....
Although I have never had to rely on public transportation in my life, it is relatively easy to get used to. You figure out pretty quickly how to navigate to and from work, class, and program events.
The apartments rented for The Washington Center are very nice... or so I hear from other interns, whatever you do, DO NOT live in Grosvenor Towers. (Apparently I missed the memo that the nickname for Grosvenor Towers is "Ghetto Towers" and now I am living in an apartment with numerous problems.) The other apartment complexes are very nice, especially Fenestra, so try to live there if you can! At any rate, a spacious apartment is still preferable to living in a dorm room.
There are many thing to see down here so make sure to plan trips to visit the monuments and museums if you decide to come. The Metro can get you in walking distance of pretty much everything so don't feel trapped if you cant bring your car.
This program is a great way to experience Washington D.C. and learn how to work in a professional business setting while still getting credit at Stonehill!
I hope this little bit of information helps you out and I will be sure to post more in the future!
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