Internship
Council for Court Excellence

Where are you from?  Why did you choose JMU?
I am originally from Charlottesville, Virginia. I chose JMU because I knew going into college that I wanted the opportunity to study abroad. I had never been out of the country before and that was something I knew I wanted to do while in college. JMU seemed to offer a lot of diverse programs from a wide range of majors and that was something I felt was unique to JMU and was not something offered in any of the other colleges that I toured. 

Why did you decide to participate in Washington Semester?
I chose the Washington Semester because I felt that the program was something that would make my resume more competitive upon graduating. I was not able to intern during the summers like most college students do, so I knew the Washington Semester program would allow me to intern and take courses at the same time. In addition, as a Political Science major, I have always had an interest in Washington DC as a place to move after graduating, and I wanted to get a taste of what it would be like to live in DC. 

What were the highlights of your internship?
One highlight of my internship was being able to work on projects with my supervisors and see the results from my work put into action in real-life situations. Researching and writing memos that were then used to help change real policy was an awesome experience. Another highlight of my internship was the connections that I got to make. My supervisors were really supportive of helping me and the other interns in the office network with other professionals in the field that I was working in.

What were the highlights of your Washington experience as a whole?
One of the highlights from my Washington experience as a whole was the diversity of activities that we got to do during the program. We went to plays, orchestra's, a Supreme Court hearing, attended lectures, saw a presidential inauguration, etc. I think the Washington Semester program does a real good job of trying to balance the "fun" events with events that align with the more academic sides of things.  Another highlight of my Washington experience was making friends with the other students in the program. I really appreciated the diversity in academic interests that everyone had and it definitely made living together and going to school together much more interesting than it would've been if we were back on campus. 

What advice would you offer to future Washington Semester students?
Forge true connections with the people that you meet -- whether it be at your internship, your friends from the program, your professors, or people you meet at networking events. You really should strive to make a positive, lasting impression on people. It's not about the number of people that you meet or the number of business cards you can collect at an event. Making a really great impression and working hard at your internship or showing your professors that you care about their assignments and you put thought into finishing them goes a really long way into how people view you and will have an impact on your future professional relationships as well. 

What are your long-term career plans?
I am currently working in the events department at a law firm in DC, but my long-term career plans involve doing some sort of project management or running my own non-profit. I haven't decided in what field but when I find out I will let you know!