student grants

CU Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:48:09 +0000

CU Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:48

Snider DC Scholarship blog

As my internship in Washington, DC draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this invaluable experience made possible by the Snider DC Scholarship.

The experience of being able to work and live in a city as important as Washington, DC was unrivaled. Nowhere else in the United States is history so accessible. Even without trying, every day as you walk around the city, you are immersed in American and World History. Some of the highlights of my time here were visiting the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, near the Tidal Basin, and being able to access sites such as the Arlington National Cemetery. And this is not to mention the plethora of opportunities to attend receptions and speaker events. The city truly teems with interesting people to meet and network with. On top of this, my professional experience was extremely rewarding.

While in DC, I worked at Ferguson & Associates, a lobbying firm that primarily dealt with issues related to Alaska. While working at this firm, I was able to attend committee hearings, meet with government officials, and work directly with clients to help advocate for issues relating to such areas as education, energy, and Indian affairs. Overall, I was able to greatly improve my personal and professional communication skills and make connections that will last a lifetime.

I am very grateful for the support of both the Benson Center and Snider Grant in giving me this opportunity and encouraging any students looking for internships that relate to the Benson Center’s mission or public service and government.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:58:00 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/07/2022 - 09:58

DC Scholarship Blog

I am incredibly grateful for my time at The Washington Center this past fall. While at TWC, there were so many amazing opportunities to network with TWC alumni and hear about their unique experiences in D.C. Not only did I expand my network, but I also gained much insight into career paths I wasn’t even aware of. Many of the networking events counted towards my Career Readiness Course, which helped me significantly in learning more about myself in terms of how prepared I really am to enter a professional position. While I was required to conduct only three informational interviews, I ended up talking to eight amazing individuals about their careers. Along with the Career Readiness Course, I also took a Forensic Psychology course. I really enjoyed learning about forensic psychology and all the ways psychology has influenced our justice system. For my final paper, I wrote about the intersection of forensic psychology and neuroscience (my major at CU) and loved connecting what I learned at CU with my course at TWC. During the semester we held a mock trial, and it was the first one I had ever participated in. I thoroughly enjoyed the mock trial and learning about the general workings of the justice system. I was assigned the role of expert witness on a case of a sleepwalker which was amazing because my interest in sleepwalking is what got me into neuroscience in the first place!

I am also incredibly grateful for my internship at the Peace Corps. I’m interested in applying to volunteer one day, so working in headquarters was very eye-opening to all the amazing work that goes into ensuring the safety and security of all the volunteers. I also had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects that taught me so much about the importance of wellbeing and mental health. Among these projects was “On Being Trauma Informed”. I was tasked with reviewing over 40 interviews from various Peace Corps psychologists, medical, and regional officers. My job was to search for adequate responses to a question relating to interpersonal support so that a new training module could be created. It was so fascinating to hear everyone’s responses! I’d say the most valuable thing I took away is that you never know what is going on in someone’s life and to have a trauma informed response is to be empathetic. My favorite project I worked on over the semester was my role as a research assistant in New Country Evaluations. For the Peace Corps to send volunteers into a country, there must be extensive research beforehand. I loved conducting this research as it helped build on my research skills and pushed me to see the full picture of a country by connecting all the information I had gathered. I am lucky to say that even though my program at TWC has ended, I will still be interning with the Peace Corps for the full year and cannot wait to see what other amazing projects I can lend a hand on.

Finally, I want to talk about the amazing museums and monuments in D.C. I loved being able to run by the Washington Monument and Lincoln Monument as if it was another casual building. The architecture of the city was incredible, and I absolutely loved taking the metro everywhere. After 3 months in D.C., I am sad to leave and am looking forward to the day I come back to such an amazing city.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 18:42:31 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/11/2022 - 12:42

CU in D.C. Experience Report

So far, I have been in Washington, DC for just over a month. Little would I know, that month would be filled with some of the most fun and most fulfilling work I have ever done. Don’t get me wrong, beautiful Boulder will always have a place in my heart, but I would certainly recommend that any Buff interested in the world of government and politics do their best to make it out to DC at one point or another.

For starters, I am surrounded by history. It is a quick 20 minute metro to some of the world’s best museums and monuments on the National Mall. Since most of these attractions are free, it ensures that you will always have something to do on your time off from work. One of my favorite things to do is walk from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and back. On the way, you pass many other significant monuments. So far, my favorite of the museums and monuments has to be the National Museum of African American History and Culture. As the newest Smithsonian, it had some of the most impactful exhibits and the most interactive exhibits I have seen at any museum around the world. I spent almost a full day just at this museum, showing just how much there is to do at each museum. A month in, and I still haven’t been to the vast majority of museums on the National Mall.

Our CU in DC housing is in the NoMa neighborhood, and is only a 5 minute walk to the nearest grocery store and the nearest Metro station. I did not realize how important that would be before I got here, but now I understand just how incredible these amenities are. From the Metro, you can really get anywhere in the DC area with ease (I suggest you leave your car at home!) It is so easy to explore other awesome areas such as Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Navy Yard, Adams Morgan, and even some of the towns on the border in nearby Virginia such as Alexandria and Arlington. Truly, there is no end of excitement in this city and I guarantee that after one semester, I will still have things yet to accomplish.

As a Political Science major, it has been incredible to learn and work in the place where the magic happens. I have been interning for a local member of Congress, helping with essential office functions and legislative needs. I have also been meeting as many people as possible to hear their stories and figure out how they made it here as well. I think my favorite part is getting to explore the halls of the Capitol. The artwork and historical significance is second to none when it comes to the US. When Congress is in session, everyone is flying around making sure that our Member is ready for votes no matter how big or how small. The other interns and I get along fabulously, and even though most of us go to different universities, we have an undeniable connection through our love for Colorado.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 17:58:21 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/29/2022 - 11:58

CU in D.C. Experience Report

The experience of being able to work, learn, and live in Washington D.C. has been one of unparalleled opportunity. As our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. provides a thrillingly unique yet challenging environment for young professionals and scholars such as myself to engage in. My 2022 experience was one that will have ripples throughout the rest of my professional and personal life, and I am confident I will reflect upon this journey as one of consequence.

Interning for Representative Ed Perlmutter of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, I was able to engage with Congressional politics at a level previously inaccessible to me. Despite being both formally and informally involved in political research and knowledge my entre life, there is no substitution for physically being in the imposing and shining Capitol Hill, experiencing the organized chaos that is Congressional politics. There are a variety of misconceptions surrounding public service at the political level and having firsthand knowledge of Congressional life was shocking in bow it dispelled a variety of these misconceptions. While there certainly are aspects that may be seen as glamorous and attention seeking, at least Representative Perlmutter and hence my experience strayed far away from the flashy side of politics, and I was encouraged to delve deeper into the constituent service side of politics, where the goal is to actually help those in the district as well as the national electorate at large. Much of Congressional work is much life standard office work, except the stakes are significantly higher and the issues being dealt with impact the lives of millions. It was often important for me to remind myself on a difficult phone call or when tackling a particularly thorny problem that my work has helping to facilitate necessary change that had the potential to positively impact thousands of lives. This helped to ground my emotions at the time and focus on the task at hand, which helped to improve my overall work ethic. The skills in interpersonal communication, policy knowledge and overall confidence in political work.

Aside from the professional aspects, living and learning in D.C. was quite the experience. The ability to learn foreign policy from ana expert in the field who has been engaged in the profession their entire professional lives was transformative. The depth of knowledge is unlike most pf my academic career so far, and despite the knowledge of professors at CU, there is a difference of being in D.C. with professors who are actively in the working field and have held high level government jobs before. There is a sense of authenticity that is hard to acquire elsewhere. Living in D.C. is another beast. Despite being vastly different from Colorado, the culture and environment was very positive, and the culture and history the surrounded me on a daily basis was inspiring. The youth and vigor that is injected into the city is refreshing and helped to reenergize me after difficult times and I was grateful to have been able to experience it.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:07:54 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/02/2022 - 13:07

Washington D.C. is perhaps like no other city in America. No other place in the world such an opportunity as Washington D.C. From the halls of Congress to the lobby firms, to the numerous federal agencies and NGOs. Washington D.C. has just about any internship anyone can think of. Through the Snider Foundation’s scholarship, it allowed me the opportunity to partake in one of the most eye-opening experiences in perhaps all the world. Compared to all other Study Abroad at CU, CU in DC gives the unique ability to make a difference in world, that the internships we have make a positive impact in the world we live in, something that is rarely ever seen in the academic world. The city provides perhaps one of the most unique experiences and has something to offer no matter what your preferences are.

Washington D.C. offers one of the most unique experiences in America. Perhaps one of my most favorite places to visit was the National Zoo. There I spent countless hours photographing the Giant Pandas, watching them eat, taking naps and even little Xiao Qi Ji (the panda) tumbling down the hill as he walks next to his mother. With Giant Panda being one of my most famous animals, the National Zoo is one of the few spots in America where you can actually see them. D.C. offered much more than just Pandas however! From Intern Night at Nationals Park, to protesting at the Supreme Court, from being goofy spies at the museum to run around taking photos in the rain.

This summer, I was lucky to attend my internship at the United States Agency for Global Media. While many people may not know what it is, USAGM is the parent organization for some the world’s most famous news agency such as Voice of America and Office of Cuba Broadcasting. The organization founded its roots amid the Cold War. Today, they continue this mission to their promote freedom and democracy in countries in which the freedom of press is not considered an unalienable right. My internship dealt with policy within the agency, to support and create guidelines in which our employees can achieve these goals. I learned so much from improving my writing skills, to working on a disaster response plan the opportunities that USAGM provided were second to none and solidified my goal of working somewhere to make the world a better place.

This summer I can’t describe how many positive experiences I had. From my internship to the city, to all my wonderful friends that I made along the way, my only regret is that this opportunity did not last as long any of us truly wanted. I would like to thank the CU In DC programs and all the support staff along the way for providing a wonderful experience both in Boulder and in DC. I am truly grateful for the Snider Foundation for providing the financial ability to partake in a truly life-changing experience.

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 16:35:12 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/03/2020 - 09:35

My time in Washington D.C. was extremely memorable and filled with extensive adventures, making the most of what such an incredible city has to offer. I came to D.C. to discover if my dream to become a foreign service officer is a worthwhile one. Because of the generosity of the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization, I feel that not only can I pursue such a career, but I was able to explore D.C. in ways I never thought were possible.

I interned at the American Academy of Diplomacy, where I worked with former Ambassadors and Secretaries of State to push American foreign policy agenda domestically and abroad. My work with the non-profit organization brought me all around Washington and the surrounding areas, including events at the US House of Representatives, the US Senate, the DACOR Bacon House, universities, the US Department of State, and Monticello. Working with a diplomatic organization in a time of Impeachment was especially rewarding because the Ukrainian dealings directly involved the State Department, and therefore some members of the American Academy of Diplomacy. I was able to get first hand accounts into what was going on during the hearings, and discuss the events candidly with Academy members, learning and gaining more insight. Undoubtably, my experience with this incredible non-profit organization allowed me to learn so much more about our federal government, and has greatly encouraged me to keep going down the path of the foreign service.

While in Washington, I made a great effort to make sure I saw all there was to offer. While I didn’t make it to all of the art museums (art isn’t entirely my thing) I made sure to visit almost all of the Smithsonians, monuments, memorials, museums, and historical and famous venues. I am quite passionate about US History, and I wanted to make sure I was able to see all of the important mementos to the founding of the United States. After becoming fast friends with the other members of the CU in DC program, I always had someone to explore with. My favorite memory is when two other friends and myself woke up extremely early (especially for college students), around 4:30/5am, to make it to a Supreme Court Oral Argument. One of my goals for my time in DC was to see Ruth Bader Ginsberg, as she is one of my personal heroes and feminist icons. We waited in line— freezing might I add, as none of us were quite prepared for the weather to get cold in DC— only to be told that there was only one more space in the Court when we were at the very front of the line. My friends so kindly encouraged me to go and leave them behind, and after a bit of arguing, I reluctantly, but excitedly, entered the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, Ginsberg was not on the bench this day due to a cold, but the experience was incredible and one I will never forget. I hope to go back to the Supreme Court soon and try again to see the notorious RBG in action.

My time in Washington has been so thought provoking, and from wandering the streets of Old Town Alexandria, the halls of Mount Vernon, and eating at the Ben Franklin State Dining Room (with Sec. Pompeo in the next room) I truly felt like I was following in our founding father’s footsteps. I can’t wait to return to D.C. one day to also make my mark, and I will never forget the kindness of the CU in D.C. program or the Benson Center for giving me the opportunity to do so. Thank you for making my semester unforgettable.

Skyler Nunn, CU in D.C. Internship Scholarship Recipient

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:36:59 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/16/2019 - 15:36

Washington D.C. is unlike any other major city in the United States. In cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, the buildings are tall and the cities feel large.

However, in Washington the city feels smaller, but not by the size of the buildings, which are smaller compared to buildings in other major cities. It seems as if everyone’s networks are connected. Being from Sacramento everyone’s network coincides as well too. However, Washington feels like Sacramento on steroids. It was very unique to see that a lot of people in my network in Sacramento also knew people in D.C., and they helped me out during my time in D.C. I was very fortunate to be a recipient of the Snider Foundation’s scholarship. I was planning on cutting coupons during my time in Washington, however this scholarship allowed me to explore the city during my free time which I am grateful for.

I interned for the Republican Leader for the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy. This internship has been a blessing for me. My boss was in the news almost every day, and it was fascinating to see my work come to fruition in television news, newspapers, and online news sites. The policy staff taught me a lot and the experience I gained this semester is something I could never have received in a classroom. I also got to meet interesting people, such as former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Mark Zuckerberg, and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was also able to learn a great deal about agriculture policy in the federal government and the California state government, which is what I hope to work on in the future. Washington has also taught me to be on my toes at all times, and to say “yes” when an opportunity arises, and to not over think.

Another opportunity this internship has provided me was going on the House floor. To this day I believe if anyone has the opportunity to step foot on the House floor, they should drop everything they are doing and go. I was able to go a few times with staff. Every time I was able to go on the House floor it took my breath away. The amount of history that has gone in that chamber is unfathomable. Being able to sit in the same seats that members voted on to declare war, legislate the Great Depression and Recession, and the Civil Rights Act. It was also interesting hear all of the “insiders” stories that took place on the House floor. I was incredibly blessed to be able to go on the floor with staff. Not many other interns are able to do this.

Even though tomorrow is the last day of my internship, I still wish I could go to work next Monday. I also have to thank my parents who made a sacrifice by allowing me to do this program. They too are thankful for the Snider Foundation, for clearing up some space in my savings account for me to experience the city in more depth. I have gained invaluable experience this semester, made great connections, and had a great time during my time in Washington. I am very thankful for the CU in DC program, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and his staff, and the Snider Foundation.

Chase Davis, CU in D.C. Internship Scholarship Recipient

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CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:20:14 +0000

CU in D.C. Student Interns on Capitol Hill Through Benson Center Grant Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/16/2019 - 15:20

I have been living in Washington, D.C. for a little over a month and I continue to become more and more impressed with the city every day. The architecture is phenomenal, the diversity is empowering, and the overall professionalism makes me realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to live in one of the most influential cities in the world.

As a double-major in Political Science and Ethnic Studies, I am intrigued by the day-to-day proceedings that occur in D.C. By studying political science, I learn more about the laws, globalization, development, and treatment of people within the United States and around the world. By studying ethnic studies, it allows me to expand my knowledge on racial, ethnic, religious, and gender minorities and their experiences within the United States and around the world, as well as the laws that either help them or inhibit them from living a fair life. As a CU in D.C. student, I have been given the incredible opportunity to experience what life is like in the place where all of these laws and policies are being developed and coming into fruition.

One of my favorite things about the city is its diversity. It is empowering to see people of minority races, ethnicities, and religions with positions in the government and private organizations where they are working to make a difference in this world. This gives me hope for the future—a future cleansed of racism and discrimination.

CU in D.C. is a wonderful program, from the housing to the local events to the classes that are offered. The class sizes are very small and intimate, which gives us students the chance to develop strong relationships with our professors. In addition to taking classes through CU in D.C., I am also working on an independent study with a professor on campus at CU because I am pursuing an Honors Thesis. My research is on the achievement gap, more specifically, the question of how does the familial, socioeconomic, and educational environment a student grows up in impact their academic performance? I am beyond lucky to live walking distance to the Library of Congress, a beautiful research library with an endless amount of books that I can use to further my studies.

The most favorable part about my experience in D.C. thus far has been my internship. I am working in the Director’s Office of the Peace Corps, where I am responsible for editing outgoing correspondence from the director to the White House, the US government, foreign governments and officials, and internal memos. Additionally, I prepare documents for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests and I analyze the paper history of the Office of the Director from the 1960s until present-day in order to prepare documents for the National Archives. I absolutely love the office I work in—I am surrounded by people who are truly passionate about wanting to help those in underdeveloped countries. My internship is a very rewarding experience--I know that the work we do in this office is greatly impacting the lives of many people abroad.

I feel extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity to participate in CU in D.C., and am forever grateful for the scholarships I was rewarded that enabled me to do so.

Alana Horwitz, CU in D.C. Internship Scholarship Recipient

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