Students unleash their potential during the Inside Washington summer ‘24 program
The Department of Political Science offers students a summer full of career development and networking experiences in the nation’s capital.
Students unleash their potential during the Inside Washington summer ‘24 program
This past summer, twelve Miami students participated in the 2024 Inside Washington cohort, a well-regarded faculty-led program, and discovered valuable networking opportunities with politicians and professionals in Washington, D.C.
The program, which Miami has ran for over 20 years, was pioneered by the Department of Media, Journalism, and Film and hosts students of all majors. Director and assistant teaching professor Matthew Arbuckle and co-director Bryan Marshall selected 12 juniors and seniors for the 2024 summer cohort.
Students were presented with an array of opportunities, including a tour of the Capitol and the White House and meet-and-greets with Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH), several Miami alumni working in the Biden administration, and business leaders of think tanks. There were also professional development opportunities, such as keynote speakers and career workshops, offered by Miami’s partner organization, the Washington Center.
“I believe in the program and find it very beneficial for students to get internships in D.C. that they can’t get here,” Arbuckle said.
Students also have access to resources like mentorship with a wide network of Miami alumni located in D.C. Through direct partnership with faculty leaders in the program, current students are encouraged to make lasting connections in the classroom as well as beyond by learning from them and seeking advice.
Professional Development Opportunities
Inside Washington’s summer cohort complements students' semester-long internships, which are facilitated by academic advisors at the Washington Center and Miami program directors. Once an internship is secured, students fully immerse themselves in the IW experience to prepare them for full-time work in a fast-paced environment like D.C.
“Students are encouraged to build these contacts into future networking opportunities,” Arbuckle said. “Several students followed up on these contacts during their time in Washington and beyond for helpful advice about working in D.C. and politics in general.”
As part of the program, students register for a three credit-hour summer course alongside their accredited internships. This course provides an opportunity to analyze their internship experiences and overall time in D.C. Through weekly readings, lectures, on-site observations, expert presentations, discussions, research, and writing assignments, the course offers essential support and guidance during the first four weeks of the semester.
“It takes a network to build a career, so this event allows students to connect with professionals and ask questions about life and work in D.C., to alumni at various career stages,” Arbuckle said. “Applying knowledge in education can be achieved by being immersed in real-world environments.”
Not only can students broaden their professional networks, but they also gain insights into the workings of government and various sectors through unique experiences with their peers.
Individual Student Experiences
Maria Almeida
I personally had the opportunity to also attend graduate school tours in D.C., with leading advisors of the Washington Center. Some of these tours included Georgetown University and Catholic University of America. These tours pushed me to consider graduate school programs with more intensity and helped me gain perspective of where I would like to go after graduation.
Additionally, I obtained a communications assistant role with the Kennedy Forum. This is a non-profit organization that works to establish mental health and substance use coverage parity and policy advancement in the federal level of government.
Through my passions in community health and health behavior analysis, I found the internship with this organization to be a new positive challenge for my career. It enabled me to put learning into practice both as a student and a professional intern.
Patrick Houlihan
Houlihan took many things away from his IW experience, he said. As a senior Political Science major, he found himself interested in an internship related to politics.
After landing an internship with The Majority Group, a small lobbying firm, he learned how to interact with congressional offices in a way that advanced business goals. Aiming to start his career in political campaigns after graduation, Houlihan found making connections with his internship supervisor as well as other local alumni in the program to be “endlessly helpful.” “I have always wanted to work or live in Washington D.C., and the Inside Washington program made it super easy,” said Houlihan.
Part of what intrigued Houlihan was also knowing that housing expenses are also part of the entire program experience, which he said was an offer he couldn’t pass up.
Dana Quayle
Senior Public Administration major Dana Quayle said that IW was one of the best experiences she has ever had. “I had one of the best summers getting to live in a new city by myself, make new friends along the way, and built so many professional contacts that will help me in my future career search,” she said.
Through constant communication with Arbuckle and TWC advisors, Quayle was able to land her summer internship after sending 30 applications. Her internship consisted of a full-time, in-person role as a resident services and community development intern for Jubilee Housing, a nonprofit organization in D.C. “Being my first internship, I learned a lot about what I enjoyed and what I plan to do in the future,” she said.
Her experience in the program and throughout her role as an intern boosted her resume and helped her land a new internship role for the fall. Currently, Quayle works at Cincinnati at the Court of Common Pleas. “It is important to not only network with the employees at your internship, but also the students in the Washington Center and other individuals you may meet on different field trips,” Quayle said.
Ella Conard
Ella Conard is a senior Political Science major who interned at Capitol Hill for Representative Mike Turner in the House of Representatives. Some of her favorite parts of Inside Washington included being able to learn how to live in the city. “Being in DC during an election year and everything that is going on in the world today made it cool enough as is,” Conard said.
Even with the struggle of getting into a routine as a full-time intern, Conard ultimately learned to manage her experience as a professional but also make the most of her summer by taking some time to relax and doing things outside of her comfort zone like networking with high-profile professionals.
Planning to attend law school after graduation, Conard found her work in her internship as well as her participation in the program as a whole to be impactful and beneficial. “Keeping an open mind and trying new projects through your internship is my number one piece of advice for future IW students,” she said.
