Charlie Brady ’23 — First, I would first like to say a big thank you to the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP) and the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College for making my internship a reality. Without these incredible programs and the generous donors at Wabash, students have these meaningful opportunities.

This summer, I spent my time interning at the Office of Indiana Attorney General in the Data Privacy and Identity Theft Sector. While working for the Indiana Attorney General, I gained many new skills, including how to write memos and research ongoing cases. With these skills, I worked on Westlaw, Microsoft Teams, Lexis, and Salesforce. From my experience at Wabash, I have learned that writing is one of the most valuable skills that employers look for in the hiring process. My writing this summer improved tremendously because of the great mentors and resources the office provided.

Furthermore, I researched an ongoing case that included financial fraud with multiple companies. These companies were pharmacies, real-estate agencies, and consulting firms that moved money without being traced. Working on this case, I spent my time doing investigation work. The investigation work included going through bank accounts and financial statements to pinpoint the illegal flow of money. The investigation was very tedious but satisfying because of the progress we made that was impacting a case. Through this work, I am so grateful that I had the chance to meet so many lawyers and new friends. No matter what industry you are in, I have learned that creating new friendships and connections is vital to your success.

Lastly, I would like to thank Doug Swetnam ’88 and Heather Shumaker for their mentorship and professional advice. Without them this summer, I would not have gained the skills and knowledge this internship offered. All in all, I could not be more grateful to Wabash for connecting me to these astonishing individuals.

Sam Phillips ’23 –– First, I want to start by thanking the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP) and Wabash College for funding for my summer internship. As an intern at the Office of the Attorney General, I was able to gain first-hand exposure to Governmental law as an undergraduate student, which is an incredible opportunity. Without the funding from Wabash College and the WPPP, I would have been unable to devote my summer to the pro-Bono internship. So, I would like to thank the College and donors who help support projects like the WPPP.

This summer, I worked as an intern in the Data Privacy and Identity Theft section of the Office of the Attorney General. I learned how to research, write, and present legal memorandums. I also spent time working with investigators to collect data and information for cases. Every week I was able to sit in calls with Deputy Chiefs of each section of the Office of the Attorney General and learn what each section covers. I also received weekly training on internet safety, data protection, and telecommunications. I met Indiana Supreme Court Justice Davis and heard him talk about the importance of law and his advice for law school preparation. Finally, I had the opportunity to work alongside many incredible law clerks and attorneys that offered advice and help throughout the summer. My eight-week summer internship at the Office of the Attorney General has most definitely left a lasting impression on me and will be an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

My summer experience has given me a lot of excitement for the future as I prepare for Law School. Before this internship, I struggled to find a summer experience that revolved around the field of law, especially cyber law. Overall, I gained clarity on my career aspirations and learned valuable life lessons. I’m ecstatic with the people in the Data Privacy and Identity Theft section of the Attorney General. They worked hard to make sure to create a meaningful experience for myself and my fellow interns. All in all, I could not have been happier with my summer experience at the Office of the Attorney General.

Andrew Flemming ’22 — First, I want to thank Wabash College and the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP) for funding such an insightful and meaningful experience. Also, I would like to thank both Dr. Brian Grim, Lewis McCrary, and others for connecting students with various nonprofit organizations such as Faith & Business Build a Better World (RFBF).

This summer, I had the privilege and pleasure of working as a Corporate Liaison for the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation as a part of the WPPP. I learned so much and have come to understand how important religious freedom is in the business sector. During my internship, I attended Zoom meetings with various employee resource groups in fortune 500 companies. These ERGs offer people the ability to bring their entire selves to work – faith and all. I have learned how important these groups are in the business world because they offer people a comfortability in the workplace that naturally translates to higher levels of productivity and progress. I have also had the privilege of working on the initiative which partners with the Paralympic Games in Tokyo to express the importance of peace across the world, especially interfaith understanding. The conference will feature many influential speakers and include awards for business professionals who have displayed extraordinary efforts to provide employees with the ability to express their faith and beliefs in the workplace.

To prepare for the conference, I selected photos and videos to recognize the award winners. Also, I wrote scripts to describe the people awarded by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. I was allowed to reach out to many different people and work with their schedules to record, obtain acceptance speeches and other visual components that would be helpful for the virtual conference. Because of the virtual platform, I learned how important it is to get all speakers and events scheduled, recorded, and uploaded so that the conference runs smoothly. Because it is a virtual conference, it is imperative to recruit people to participate and stress the importance of attending. I was responsible for reaching out to ERGs and encourage them to sign up for the conference.

Nonetheless, I attend the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., where I heard stories of persecution and ongoing movements to combat injustice. This summit was eye-opening and made me realize how important this movement is to our ever-changing world. Several nations do not allow their citizens the rights and freedoms that must accompany religious beliefs. Overall, the summit taught me how to move forward and inspire change in the future. I had an incredible experience and learned so much by working with the RFB. All in all, I am grateful to the WPPP for giving students opportunities to explore public policy internships.

Morgan Seagrave ’22 — I can’t bring myself to share about my internship experience without first showing my appreciation to those who helped to make it possible. So, I would like to begin by thanking the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP)for funding my internship, which allowed me to accept my internship in Washington D.C. It is a very expensive place to live, and without the funds provided by WPPP, I do not know that I would have been able to pursue this dream of an internship. Furthermore, I would like to thank Lewis McCrary for his hard work with the WPPP and for helping with my internship search, the application process, and the housing search. Lewis really went above and beyond to help me and others secure great internships this summer.

In my role as a legislative intern in Senator Mike Braun’s office in Washington D.C., I was able to work on a number of projects. What I enjoyed so much about the internship is the fact that so much of the role is about reading the news and keeping up with current events in politics as well as doing research. I was also able to further develop some soft skills by working in an office that involves a lot of networking and dealing with lobbyists and constituents. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast pace of D.C., constantly meeting politically driven people like myself, and running into famous politicians. It was also a lot of fun to meet up with the many Wabash alumni that reside in D.C. Probably my favorite experience of the internship though, would be all of us interns eating breakfast with Senator Braun in a restaurant in the U.S. Capitol Building, especially given what had happened at the Capitol earlier this year following the presidential election.

Diving more into my duties as an intern, it basically ran the gamut. On several occasions, I wrote letters back to concerned constituents that wanted responses to their questions regarding Senator Braun’s stance on a certain policy. Another duty I had was answering phone calls from constituents that either had complaints or wanted Senator Braun to support/oppose a certain piece of legislation. That responsibility definitely put me to the test, because constituents were often very passionate on the phone about certain policies/issues, and I had to be patient and calm with them in order to address their concerns. I believe my work as a Democracy Fellow with Wabash Democracy and Public Discourse really helped me when speaking to constituents on the phone. The bulk of my work, however, involved researching government documents and news articles in order to get information about different subjects and then make policy recommendations in hopes of Senator Braun proposing legislation based on my findings. All in all, this internship was incredible. I learned a lot, and it helped me get one step closer to figuring out what I want to do after I graduate.

Daniel Bass ’22 — Through the generosity of the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP), my dream to intern for a United States Congressman was made possible this summer. The WPPP’s commitment to student success allows Wabash College’s future leaders to learn the necessary skills to excel in their future careers. I am thankful that WPPP allowed me the opportunity to gain real-world experience by financially assisting me with my summer internship. 

During the course of the summer, I had the honor and privilege of interning in the Champaign District Office of United States Congressman Rodney Davis. Through my internship, I was able to learn skills in communication, constituent correspondence, public policy, and numerous other valuable skills to succeed in a career in government. I was honored to have the opportunity to gain additional knowledge through various Congressional workshops, such as “Crafting Floor Remarks Writing Workshop” & “Communications & Social Media.” 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my internship revolved around the ability to help fellow Illinoisans resolve issues that troubled their daily lives. Whether it be assisting a local veteran, an immigrant seeking citizenship, or a constituent concerned about policies that would impact their lives, the opportunity to provide guidance and assistance allowed me to witness the positive side of government that many people do not see. This internship has motivated and strengthened my passion to strive for a career in our nation’s capital. As a Wabash-educated Gentleman, and through the experiences of my internship, I know that it is our civil duty to continuously strive towards eliminating the divisiveness that plagues our great nation in an effort to improve the lives of all Americans.

Andrew Gonczarow ’22 — This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with the Crawfordsville | Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce as a part of the Wabash Public Policy Project (WPPP). It was an incredible experience to intern with a nonprofit organization this summer. I want to thank Wabash College for the opportunity, as none of these insightful experiences could have happened without the funding from the WPPP. I would also like to thank Executive Director Cassie Hagan and Assistant Director Casey Hockersmith for making me feel welcomed in the office from day one.

During my internship, I utilized and learning customer relationship management (CRM) software, member clicks. I reached out to certain people in our network, as well as update databases and conduct reports. Being able to learn how to use a CRM will be very beneficial in my future career. I enjoyed networking with professionals all around Montgomery County. In addition to that, I met new people within my community to see how these companies run and identify where the Chamber could help the businesses out.

My internship also enhanced my sales and interpersonal skills. For example, I went to businesses around the community that were members of the Chamber to sell them sponsorships and tickets to the annual Golf Scramble. Countless days my colleague and I would drive around Montgomery County, going from business to business to receive commitments. In managing the Golf Scramble, I learned a lot about adapting and that even with a good plan, there will always be more work.

Once more, I would like to thank Wabash College and the WPPP for allowing me to have these wonderful experiences, as this summer was crucial to my educational, personal, and professional growth.