Students Live and Learn in Washington, D.C., Through Capitol Hill Internship Program
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Students live and learn in Washington, D.C., through Capitol Hill Internship Program COLUMNS,by Dean Spring Hartman 2009 11 ixteen students—black and For a semester’s worth of living and Wow, I’m really here. This is a place where white, conservative and learning in the nation’s capital, it’s a real great men and women have walked,” he liberal, small-town and big- value, Dr. Steinel believes. says. “And since I want to be a represen- city—all sharing one house He calls it experiential learning at tative one day, it just made it all the more for one semester in Wash- its best. exciting.” ington, D.C. Sharing the same room as House SSounds like a TV episode of “The Living history Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Martin Luther Real World” or “Big Brother.” For most CHIP students, their first King III and Grammy Award-winning In truth, it’s the routine start each days in Washington deliver a good bit of gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins left a semester of the Capitol Hill Internship “wow” factor. For some, it never wears off. strong impression on the new intern— Program, an opportunity offered through LaGrange senior Avery Robertson and the positive vibe remained through- the United Methodist College Washing- spent this past January as an intern for out his month there. ton Consortium. In fall, spring and dur- Georgia Representative Hank Johnson. “The city lived up to my expecta- ing Jan Term, LaGrange students arrive On one of his first days on the job, he tions and beyond,” he says. “I thought at a townhouse within walking distance attended the swearing-in ceremony of it would be more like New York, and of the Capitol and begin their CHIP the Congressional Black Caucus, and people would be rude. But it’s actually a experience. his guide took him through the Capitol decent city. And when they leave, most describe Rotunda and Statuary Hall on the way. “I wasn’t ready for the fast pace, but it as life-changing. “It was one of those feelings, like, after a while you get used to it. You start to fit in.” From dean to referee The pace in Avery’s office was -par Since the program’s inception in ticularly brisk in the days leading up to 2001, Dr. Doug Steinel has served as its the inauguration of President Obama. director, a job that he says involves being With major legislative issues already the students’ “nurse, counselor, dean and brewing in the background, constituents department chair.” also were pressing hard for tickets to the “I’m the one who referees when historic event. they have a dispute,” he says. “And I’m As a reward for his efforts, Avery the one who makes sure someone’s been was handed a ticket to the ceremony by named chairman of the snow-removal Rep. Johnson. committee.” He left the CHIP house at 6:30 that The narrow red-brick residence the morning and got in line at about 8:30. students share is set up as four basic single- “It was very cold,” he says. “At one sex apartments, each with its own living point, I thought I might lose my toes. room and kitchen. That set-up helps keep But braving the cold was worth it.” the TV-drama down to a minimum. His designated area was just below For many, their arrival marks their the Capitol Reflection Pool—a spot first experience living in an urban setting. many could only dream of. “They come here and they’re ap- “It was very overwhelming,” he says. prehensive: I’m from Indianola, Iowa,” LaGrange student Avery Robertson ’09 spent Jan “To be able to tell my children one day Term in the halls of the Capitol as part of the CHIP Dr. Steinel says. “But by the time they’ve initiative. His internship with a member of the that I was there when the first African- been here four or five weeks, they’re, I House allowed him a range of experiences, includ- American president was sworn in is a can do this; I can make it here. ing attending official hearings (below). blessing—and an overwhelming feeling.” “They grow confidence.” His academic role comes into play Uniting with the U.N. because students are earning course Junior Joel Coady experienced the credit for their experience. Between their months leading up to the election and internship and their required classes, its immediate aftermath as part of the students with a wide variety of majors CHIP program during fall semester. But earn the equivalent of a semester’s work his internship didn’t have anything spe- on their home campuses. cifically to do with Capitol Hill, as is true And they pay no more than their for many of the interns. equivalent tuition and room charges. Joel worked with the United Na- 12 COLUMNS, Spring 2009 afternoon, the group tours a significant site or museum. During the week, students also take one of two offered classes in the evening. And given the time of year, Joel opted for a course on campaigns and elections. “My teacher was the vice president for an international lobbying firm,” Joel says. “He was probably the smartest man I’d ever met.” Guest speakers from across the politi- cal spectrum also made it memorable. And to top it off, Joel ran into Senator John McCain in a hallway not long after the election and—using his newly pol- ished people skills—introduced himself. Defending the district Working for the U.N. was a dream realized for Joel Coady ’10, above left. His internship with the United During her time in Washington, Ra- Nations Foundation allowed him to champion the Nothing But Nets campaign, an anti-malaria effort. chel Deloach ’08 also met many memo- Above, Joel works with U.N. Partnership Alliances Deputy Director David O’Neill. rable people—though some weren’t in tions Foundation—an employer he how to work with others, how to be the headlines for positive reasons. Rachel pursued for months before getting the punctual, be professional,” he says. “In spent the spring before her graduation as final go-ahead just two weeks before his the college world, it’s so quick and to-the- an intern with the District of Columbia departure for Washington. point, you almost don’t always speak in attorney general’s office. Drawn to the U.N. and its ideals complete sentences. There, she assisted two lawyers who since high school, he believed working “It really made me see that it’s im- were defending the district, and she got a there would be a natural fit. So he located portant the way you communicate with firsthand look at the legal process. his preferred agency and applied for a others, the way you carry yourself.” “I was surprised to see how many paid internship, but the process proved His learning process was supplement- documents that the attorneys had to read,” more challenging than he first thought. ed by the required classes that CHIP stu- she says. “And I didn’t expect that their “I had three phone interviews with dents take part in. Each Friday morning, workload would be so much. Their average them and then had to submit a writing they meet with Dr. Steinel for a seminar caseload was 40 to 50 cases—some that sample and an essay,” he says. “When about the Washington experience. That they had been working on for years. they finally called me and said, ‘Are you still interested in the position?’ I was, like, ‘Of course I’m still interested!’” A Capitol consortium He spent his time at the foundation Nine member colleges make up the CHIP alliance. The partnership enables working primarily with Nothing But students to live and work in Washington—and earn credit from their home Nets, a campaign combating malaria institutions around the nation: deaths by providing insecticide-treated bed nets to regions of Africa devastated Coe College, Iowa by the disease. “It was a lot different than any other Creighton University, Nebraska job I’ve had,” he says. “Just getting up in LaGrange College, Georgia the morning and knowing that every 30 Lindsey Wilson College, Kentucky seconds a child dies from malaria—and Nebraska Wesleyan University, Nebraska I can do something about it. It was very rewarding.” Pfeiffer University, North Carolina And while he was helping change Simpson College, Iowa, others’ lives, Joel found that his was Southwestern University, Texas changing as well. Wofford College, South Carolina “I learned a lot at the U.N. about COLUMNS, Spring 2009 13 “It gave me a high level of respect for attorneys because the work that they do is really strenuous and time consuming.” Rachel attended depositions, summa- rized court documents and spent a great deal of time at the police department retrieving files and criminal records. She also sat in on a high-profile trial that she had assisted with. “It fascinated me,” she says. “One thing that I did learn is that a lot of people make a career out of suing other people.” Particularly rewarding were the relationships she built with the attorneys in the office. “They were really down-to-earth and helpful,” she says. “I asked them anything … and pretty much got an education on the law.” One day in particular stands out in Though the Capitol lends its name to the CHIP effort, students who participate aren’t necessarily political her memory. She attended a mediation science majors. Undergraduates from nearly any area of study can take part in the program.