This summer I had the privilege of working as a press intern for Senator Charles E. Schumer in Washington, D.C. Senator Schumer’s unique role as not only the senior Senator from New York, but also as the United States Senate Minority Leader, allowed me to gain exposure to both state-wide and national governance. My primary tasks as an intern for Senator Schumer’s press team consisted of compiling daily news-clips packets, drafting and revising press releases and talking-point memos, and taking calls from local and national reporters. I also regularly attended press conferences and events at which Senator Schumer and other members of congress spoke.

My time on Capitol Hill provided a first-hand look into the United States political process, as well as some of the many nuances of political communications. With Senator Schumer’s dual role, I had the opportunity to engage with the broader Democratic caucus, while simultaneously being reminded that all politics is local. Working closely with members of the press team, such as the deputy press secretary, provided valuable insight into the different roles that staffers play on the Hill and the many different ways the policies may be achieved and promoted. It was an honor to intern for Senator Schumer and work alongside a staff which remains dedicated to using our political process forthe betterment of our nation.

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This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the U.S. Department of State in Washington DC. I worked in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, in the Office of East Asia and the Pacific.

I received a security clearance in order to perform my daily responsibilities in the office, which were primarily research-based and focused on China. I also got to participate in several State Department events on a variety of different topics, including working the State Departments first ever International Religious Freedom Ministerial.  My favorite part of my internship was getting to know the other people in my office. This internship allowed me to get firsthand exposure to different career paths and observe government work from the inside. I learned more about what day-to-day life is like as part of the Civil Service as a Foreign Service Officer.

My time in DC not only helped me hone several skills such as writing, critical thinking, and analysis; but it also provided me with valuable experience as I continue to determine my career path. This internship will additionally help me determine how I want to engage with important human rights issues going forward.

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I first became interested in the Carter Center after reading about Rosalynn Carter’s mental health initiative while researching the reduction of stigma pertaining to mental illness. An internship with the Democracy program at the Carter Center gave me the unique chance to combine my interests in policy, disability rights, and international standards. My internship focused on examining the gaps in international law pertaining to persons with disabilities, and how elections can be made more accessible so that persons with disabilities can gain representation in society. My tasks included writing policy briefings, updating online resources for persons with disabilities, and translating documents into French. One of the most rewarding projects I had was developing a quantitative analysis of election observers’ findings in order to establish a relationship between electoral integrity and election results. I now hope to continue this work by studying social policy in graduate school.

This summer has been an incredibly fulfilling life experience. Outside of work, I was able to participate in Habitat for Humanity. I attended Sunday Bible School taught by Jimmy Carter, visited his childhood home, and had personal conversations with him pertaining to my future aspirations. It was an honor to learn from President Carter as I have always admired his dedication to human rights and his unwavering commitment to public service. I hope to emulate his dedication to public service.

The Carter Center does an excellent job of providing interns with concrete skills that are not necessarily taught in college environments. Additionally, interns are exposed weekly to global leaders such as the ex-Prime Minister of Canada, Ambassador Peters, and Former Minister of the Interior Juan Fernando. Through the Carter Center, interns are also able to participate in Habitat for Humanity, attend Sunday Bible School taught by Jimmy Carter, visit his childhood home, etc.

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Francis Brunet ’16 worked as a legislative Aide in the Senate President’s Office

This summer I worked in the Senate President’s Office at the 31st Legislature of the Virgin Islands where I performed various office tasks as needed and helped to oversee and organize the inflows of information, managed daily office operations, which included the management of constituent and inter-office correspondence, as well as serving as liaison between the various offices. I worked directly for the Senate President, Neville James, to conduct research on issues pertaining to his participation on various committees in advance of weekly hearings.

The most challenging part of my experience was just getting accustomed to an office environment where expectations are high and your input matters. As you get older, the focus of your internship experiences become much more concerned with understanding how you would fit as a part of an office team. I was fortunate enough to be the only intern in my office – and one of two staffers on St. Thomas – therefore, I was able to spend a lot of time on the senate floor and get a firsthand look at the many issues facing the Virgin Islands today. I not only learned a lot about the issues at hand, but I also learned a lot about what it takes to someday be in a position to deliberate serious judicial issues.

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