Internship
House Majority PAC

Where are you from?  Why did you choose JMU?
I was born in the District, but I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and outside Atlanta. I moved back to the Shenandoah Valley permanently when I was 16. JMU more or less chose me. I was attending a local community college, and JMU was hosting an application fair. They reviewed my transcripts and accepted me on the spot!

Why did you decide to participate in Washington Semester?
My first semester at JMU, I learned of the Washington Semester and was immediately interested. I'm 28, so I came here feeling a little behind everyone else in life accomplishments, and thought this was the perfect opportunity for the push forward I'd been missing.

What were the highlights of your internship?
I think all the substantive work I was able to do. The fact that I could get up every morning, walk to my office and spend my day really getting involved in my job and in our mission was really important to me. I made so many connections in the process of my internship, and those connections have all turned out to be such supportive friends!

What were the highlights of your Washington experience as a whole?
I loved "doing life" in the city. Because D.C. is my place of birth, it will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s my favorite city in the world for a number of reasons, and walking taking the train to random stops, getting off and walking around in an unknown area of town is so exciting! As I've gotten older and more involved in politics, I also believe that Washington is truly the place where we change the world. Being able to get lost in that city and find yourself in that knowledge is the most beautiful thing. I loved everything about being there. Everything.

What advice would you offer to future Washington Semester students?
Professionally, you should dress the part. For your internship. For your life. Dress the part. Eye contact and firm handshakes are EVERYTHING, so practice those things. Show up early. Stay late when you can. Ask for extra projects. Ask for help. Ask for advice. Ask your co-workers out for coffees, and try to turn this opportunity into something more than a resume booster. Do as much as you can to learn as much as you can, and make a lasting impression on your superiors.

Personally, I recommend walking as many places as you can. When you have the time, get lost in the city. Be safe about it, but get lost somewhere. Pick a sunny morning, bring your phone and a friend, take the metro to a stop you’ve never used, and find your way home. Eat somewhere new on the way back. Go out with your roommates, and make friends with everyone in the program. You’ll need them. They’ll need you! Host game nights and movie nights and breakfast-for-dinner night. Be present, and soak up all that you can while you’re there. You won’t regret it.

What are your long-term career plans?
My dream is to work on campaigns as a strategist/political director. I have a background in psychology, so I have always been very interested in human behavior and human responses to things. I want to be the person who knows what a candidate has to think, do, wear, and say to get elected. Hopefully, that keeps me in permanent residence in Washington, while allowing me to travel as much as possible. It’s the best of both worlds.