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As an intern through The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, I am thrown into countless extraordinary opportunities that I would not have access to elsewhere. Having an internship is a career-changing experience in itself, but being involved in a program like The Washington Center in the heart of the nation’s capital definitely provides a lot of perks.

Just last week, I had the chance to meet with two members of my senator’s legislative staff. Titled “Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol Hill,” The Washington Center requires each intern to have a conversation with his or her senator or staff member. Interns are allowed to inquire about any issue they would like. The goal of this meeting is to allow students to better understand the legislative process and have a better grasp of what their representatives stand for. 

I personally feel that I was very benefitted by this experience. I am 20 years old and embarrassed to admit that I have not yet voted. Before coming to Washington, I didn’t have a good handle on how our government works and always thought, “If I don’t have a strong opinion about politics, what’s the point of voting?” I took an Introduction to Government course last year and really took an interest in the subject. The professor’s ability to garner my interest in a topic I had no previous knowledge of is honestly the reason why I chose to come to Washington and the reason why I chose the internship I did. 

Now, I am doing everything I can to expand my knowledge regarding the government. Meeting with two members of Sen. Bill Nelson’s legislative staff gave me insight on how the legislative process works. I realized that it isn’t just a bunch of men in suits signing papers and drafting laws. Rather, government is one giant discussion about the issues that affect our nation’s people. How would this law benefit the youth of our nation? How can we solve this issue in a timely fashion? 

I also had the opportunity to learn a bit more about my Sen. Nelson. He is an active member of various senate committees and is a huge advocate for NASA, which hits home for me as a relative of a NASA researcher. I learned that my senator is an all-around good person, someone I am proud to be represented by and someone I would be happy to vote for were he to run for reelection.

Everyday I am in D.C., I learn more and more about how beneficial it is to be knowledgeable about as much as possible, and having this wonderful opportunity placed in my lap made me realize how truly lucky I am to have so many great opportunities.

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