Tag Archives: Political Science

Margaret O’Hare ’20: Voice of Witness

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Name: Margaret O’Hare
Class Year: 2020
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Hicksville, N.Y.

Internship Organization: Voice of Witness
Job Title: Summer Intern
Location: San Francisco

What’s happening at your internship?

I am fortunate enough to be working for a wonderful nonprofit organization, Voice of Witness, that is focused on uplifting the stories of people who’ve experienced injustice through books of oral history. This summer, Voice of Witness (VOW) is focusing on a variety of projects as they overhaul their mission plan, add new full-time members to their team, and celebrate their 10-year anniversary. As an intern, I’m working under the guidance and instruction of each department head to learn about and help with the projects we’re working on, and I’ve gotten to do some transcription and editing work for some of the upcoming book projects.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because it aligned with my interests and I really believe in the work that VOW is doing. I was able to take my studies from Bryn Mawr (major in Political Science, concentration in Peace, Justice, & Human Rights) and apply them to a work environment while learning more about the things I care about!

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of this internship so far has been getting to work with a group of fantastic, welcoming people who are passionate about the job they do. Learning about the processes that go into creating and publishing their books of oral histories has led me to have a deeper appreciation for their work and for the invaluable stories of the narrators. The full-time staff and the other interns I’m working with are all lovely people who make the experience rewarding. The full-time staff encourages us to make the most of our time in San Francisco and has given us various opportunities to enjoy the city and its different genres of history and storytelling; we participated in storytelling workshops with partner organizations (the Puente Project and the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant), took a walking tour of murals from Precita Eyes Muralists with one of the artists, and went on a “VOW-ting” (Voice of Witness outing) to SFMOMA to see an incredible interactive mural by the artist JR.

Living in a new city? What has that experience been like for you?

I am really enjoying being in San Francisco this summer! I had never been to California before this internship, but I can definitely confirm that the weather and the people are fantastic. I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the city so far and it’s been amazing to learn about the history of a city that’s new to me. I’ve made it to the Golden Gate Bridge, and I plan to visit a few more museums and beaches while I’m here too!

Caroline Soffer ’20: American Friends Service Committee

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Name: Caroline Soffer
Class Year: 2020
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Chevy Chase, Md.

Internship Organization: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Job Title: Grants and Communications Intern
Location: Philadelphia

What’s happening at your internship?

This summer, I’m interning at the American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia. AFSC is a social justice oriented nonprofit that oversees programs here in the United States and around the world. It’s been fascinating to learn about the breadth of AFSC’s work, which stretches from fighting for migrant justice at the U.S.-Mexico Border, to advocating for Palestinian rights through both U.S. and international policy.

I feel incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to work with many different departments throughout my time at AFSC. With the Development department, I learned about creating lasting relationships with donors, and what it takes to write a successful grant. The staff at AFSC were incredibly supportive of me when asked if I could write a grant myself, and I was so grateful for their patience, expertise, and helpful edits. My time with the Communications department has felt like a miniature stint in journalism school! I learned about how AFSC chooses to write about their various programs, and how researchers analyze data from social media hits.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied to work at AFSC through Bryn Mawr’s Summer of Service Program. I was looking for an internship that would align with my political science interests. When I applied, I’d just gotten back from working at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. I was looking for something more academic, and thought it would be interesting and different to work at a nonprofit.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My first day at AFSC was particularly memorable! I was nervous and overprepared for my first day — I had chosen my outfit the night before and gathered all my favorite pens and notebooks in preparation. When I arrived, I was set up at my desk, given a laptop, and sent off to set up my email and password. “OK, I thought, so far so good, this is the amount of IT I can handle.”

I was soon called in for an early morning meeting, where the staff told me that there was a surprise waiting afterwards. A surprise? My mind raced to what it could be, or what I had done wrong. Was my password not strong enough? I used numbers and letters!

The surprise turned out to be a party in my honor, to celebrate my first day at AFSC. My boss explained that it was AFSC tradition to dispel first-day nerves and make newcomers feel especially welcome! The whole office gathered around plates of cheese and crackers, grapes, and Oreos. It was such a lovely way to start an internship, and I felt so supported by everyone in the office.

Hannah Soisson ’21: Montgomery County (Pa.) District Attorney’s Office

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Name: Hannah Soisson
Class Year: 2021
Major: Political Science & History
Hometown: Montgomeryville, Pa.

Internship Organization: Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
Job Title: DA Intern, Front Office
Location: Montgomery County Courthouse, Norristown, Pa.

Hannah Soisson

What’s happening at your internship?

The Montgomery County (Montco) District Attorney’s office is divided into many different divisions of specific issues and fields of work. Divisions include economic crime, narcotics, firearms, arson, and more. All 33 interns in the program are assigned to different divisions in which we remain all summer. I was assigned to work in the D.A.’s main office, where my  supervisors are D.A. Kevin Steele and First Assistant D.A. Ed McCann. I was able to write outlines of different statutes relative to the District Attorney, assist in the courtroom, witness court procedures, and even visit the Coroner’s Office and watch autopsies. Every day was different with a few long-term projects always to do.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I have the goal of attending law school and becoming a lawyer. I don’t yet know what type of law interests me. Because of this, I wanted to find an internship that could expose me to as many different types of law as possible. I believe my internship at the D.A.’s office did exactly that and also provided me with lifelong connections to my fellow interns, as well as supervisors.

Hannah Soisson

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?

The biggest challenge I faced at my internship was having the least amount of experience compared to the other interns in the program. With just a little over 30 interns, there were only a handful of other undergrads. The vast majority are first- or second-year law students. At first, I felt very unprepared, having no educational background in law. I overcame this challenge by being very open-minded. I was very open to receiving help from older interns in law school and was eager to learn. Not only have I learned so much from these law students, but I was also able to establish friendships and connections.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

The most rewarding aspect of my internship was the exposure to such a diverse set of experiences. Working in the main office, my assigned tasks varied drastically throughout the weeks. From checking and citing legal handbooks all the way to assisting in a homicide trial, the breadth of experience I gained from my internship was more than I ever presumed. The internship program also had biweekly field trips, and such hands-on experience was enlightening as well. My favorite field trip was visiting the Coroner’s Office, where I was allowed to view an autopsy and learn about investigative tools used when deceased victims are involved, as well as how the Coroner’s Office functions within the D.A.’s office.  This experience was more than I could have ever hoped for when applying for summer internships, and I feel much more equipped and confident in tackling law school and having a promising career.

Carlie Hansen ’21: Operations Intern for U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth

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Name: Carlie Hansen
Class Year: 2021
Major: Biology + Political Science
Hometown: Chicago

Internship Organization: Office of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth
Job Title: Operations Intern
Location: Washington, D.C.

What’s happening at your internship?

As the operations intern, I have one of the more dynamic roles within the internship cohort and the senator’s office as a whole. I have worked in every department so far this summer, including communications/press, admin, legislative, and scheduling. Basically, wherever the office staff can use extra hands or an extra brain, I’m there. The teams I work most closely with, however, are the administrative team, where I sort mail or review voicemails, and the legislative team, where I assist the environment and energy policy staffers. On a daily basis, I also engage with the senator’s constituents over the phone and when they visit the office, recording their legislative opinions and assisting them in connecting with caseworkers in the senator’s state offices.

Why did you apply for this internship?

Senator Duckworth is one of my home state senators, and has been a huge inspiration to me as I’ve started thinking about a career in politics, so it seemed natural to pick her office to apply to intern in. For a while I’ve had an interest in working on the Hill in D.C. after I graduate, so I figured applying for a congressional internship would be the best way to see if I wanted to build my career here. Prior to this summer I also received advice that an internship on the Hill in some ways serves as an extended job interview, as the connections you make and reputation you build while interning can help you get a job later on.

Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?

This internship first and foremost has been an opportunity to polish my writing, speaking, and Excel skills. I’ve gotten to develop intrapersonal skills working in group settings and with a variety of teams within the office, and learned how to engage with the senator’s constituents. In the bigger picture, I’m learning about what it means to represent a constituency and how to do so effectively and diplomatically. With that, I think it is important to recognize that any elected official represents people who hold a variety of beliefs, not just those who share their views. Throughout my internship I’ve gotten to see how the senator takes into consideration the views of her constituents without compromising her own beliefs when it comes time to make decisions.

Was this internship what you expected it to be?

I didn’t have a lot of expectations about the internship going in, especially because I had no idea what an operations intern did in the grand scheme of a congressional office. I also have had to constantly think on my feet, as no two days are ever the same on the Hill. But going into the internship with no expectations has let me take better advantage of any learning opportunity that I’ve encountered so far — I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds!

Phoebe Cribb ’20: Progressive Policy Institute

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Name: Phoebe Cribb
Class Year: 2020
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Chorley, United Kingdom

Internship Organization: Progressive Policy Institute
Job Title: Education Policy Intern
Location: Washington, D.C.

What’s happening at your internship?

This summer I am working at the Progressive Policy Institute on a project focusing on Charter Schools and Innovation school networks. Through researching, policy briefings and meetings, I am producing a “how-to guide” for state legislators and districts about creating effective innovation schools, as well as model legislation. My research is based on models that have been successfully implemented in Indianapolis, Memphis and Denver, and how these models can be expanded. In addition, I attend policy briefings and events on Capitol Hill, write blog posts for the PPI website, and keep up to date on the latest education policy news.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I am passionate about education policy and I wanted to be able to learn about how legislation is researched, created and enacted in D.C. I also wanted to experience how an influential policy think tank functions on a day to day basis. Through participating in the Bi-Co education program I have been able to observe various K-12 classrooms in Philadelphia. Therefore, I wanted to see how my understanding of the classroom compared to federal policy initiatives. I also wanted to take this opportunity to explore D.C. and connect with other interns in the city.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of my internship has been working in a small, collaborative environment. PPI is one of the smaller think tanks in D.C., so I get to work closely with really influential policy researchers and writers. Also, every Friday we have intern lunch day, which I look forward to every week. The main topic of discussion in the office has been the 2020 presidential election.

Can you give us three adjectives and three nouns that describe your internship experience?

Adjectives: Enlightening, fast-paced, collaborative
Nouns: Coffee, LinkedIn, The West Wing

Chloe Liu ’21: EMILY’s List

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Name: Chloe Liu
Class Year: 2021
Major: Political Science
Hometown: Princeton, N.J.

Internship Organization: EMILY’S List
Job Title: State and Local Campaigns Intern
Location: Washington, D.C.

What’s happening at your internship?

EMILY’S List is a political action committee that is focused on electing pro-choice democratic women to all levels of government. EMILY’s List is the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, and it has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women. I am currently interning in the State and Local Campaigns department, which trains and supports candidates and their campaign staff. My day-to-day work includes compiling and writing background research on candidates and races, communicating with state and local candidates to aid them with administrative tasks, and attending staff meetings.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied for this internship because I know the importance of electing pro-choice Democratic women to state and local legislatures. I believe that state legislatures have the most influence on constituents’ day-to-day lives. Issues such as choice, healthcare, water quality, and school budgets can be affected by local legislatures. I believe that it is important to elect women who will champion progressive change.

Living in a new city? What has that experience been like for you?

This is my first time living in a city and I love it! I’m adjusting to casually walking past national monuments when crossing the street and watching motorcades zoom past me on my way back from work. Currently, I have two major goals: 1. Go to all the free museums 2. Find every vegan bakery in the area.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

The most rewarding aspect of my internship is that I know that every piece of work that I do is meaningful. Although it is sometimes difficult to imagine the impact of the work that I am doing behind a computer screen, I know that every project I complete will help elect a candidate into office.