This Summer I had the privilege of working on Capitol Hill as an intern in the office of Senator Mike Braun. Over the course of 6 weeks, I answered phone calls from Hoosiers, wrote up cosponsor memorandums, and escorted constituents to meetings with the Senator. As a Wabash man I was proud to represent both the college and the state of Indiana as an intern in the United States Congress.
As a political science major, I was thrilled to watch democracy in action, and learned about the intricacies of the budget reconciliation process as well as the REAL process of how a bill becomes a law. Apparently, it’s not all its chalked up to be in Schoolhouse Rock! As a Fellow with the Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse, I have a background in facilitating difficult discussions. Being a receptive and active listener is an integral part of my work with WDPD, and this skill proved useful in my internship when I had to answer phones at the front desk and talk to frustrated constituents. Actively listening to their complaints was essential to both accurately recording their comment and making that Hoosier feel heard.
A highlight of my time in Washington D.C. was getting to watch the city’s phenomenal Fourth of July fireworks show from the front steps of the Capitol. It was an absolutely unforgettable way to get introduced to our nation’s most important city. I was also fortunate enough to share breakfast with the Senator, his chief of staff, as well as my fellow interns in the Senate Dining Room where we conversed about politics and college basketball.
One thing I’ll never forget from my time in D.C. is the encouragement I received from Indiana educators I was escorting when I told them about my aspirations to teach high school social studies and government. It was an inspirational moment that illustrated the importance of the work I was doing, and how it would contribute to my future career goals. For an incredible internship filled with many inspiring moments I’d like to personally thank Lewis McCrary and the Stephenson Institute for making this dream of mine a reality, I am beyond grateful for the experience you’ve made possible. I also must give a big shout out Katie Fitzpatrick, who coordinated my internship and ensured our work was always fun.
