{"id":667,"date":"2008-04-23T11:55:02","date_gmt":"2008-04-23T16:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ezing.me\/transfer\/?p=667"},"modified":"2014-09-23T09:24:33","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T14:24:33","slug":"new-washington-internship-program-proving-to-be-excellent-for-17-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/new-washington-internship-program-proving-to-be-excellent-for-17-students\/","title":{"rendered":"New Washington Internship Program Proving to be Excellent for 17 Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nOXFORD, Miss. – Instead of spending sunny Saturdays in
\nflip-flops and a T-shirt watching baseball games at Swayze
\nField this spring, University of Mississippi senior William
\nGillis is in Washington, D.C., walking the paths of top
\npolicy experts, touring Smithsonian museums and visiting
\nnational monuments.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/span>
\n
<\/p>\n

\nGillis, a 22-year-old marketing major from Columbus, is one
\nof 17 Ole Miss students participating in the first
\nWashington Internship Experience Program. Developed by UM’s
\nTrent Lott Leadership Institute, Department of Political
\nScience and Division of Outreach, the semester-long
\ninternships combine work and study for UM undergraduate and
\ngraduate students planned around their special interests.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nGillis said the view outside his window is just one reason
\nhe’s enjoying the experience. “I came up here as a business
\nmajor and not really having any interest in politics; I am
\nnow seriously considering moving back to D.C. after I
\ngraduate,” he said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nThe interns spend 32 hours each week working for government
\noffices, the media or national institutions. They also
\nattend a weekly class on Washington policy processes and
\ntake online courses through the university to maintain
\nfull-time student status.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nAshley Collins, a 22-year-old senior managerial finance
\nmajor from Little Rock, Ark., said her internship has given
\nher a new perspective on her studies.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“I work in the economic policy department of the Center
\nfor American Progress , and I thought I hated economics
\nbecause my econ classes haven’t been that exciting, but
\nbeing here makes me want to eventually pursue a career
\ninvolving economics,” she said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nDallas native Katie Hiatt, a 21-year-old junior journalism
\nmajor and political science minor, said balancing school
\nand work can be a challenge. After working all day for U.S.
\nRep. Jeb Hensarling, (R-Texas), Hiatt must find time to
\ncomplete nine hours of online classes through Ole Miss and
\nattend the three-hour required class. Also, her internship
\nwork, which began with small responsibilities, has
\nprogressed to writing letters to constituents and material
\nfor the Congressional Record, giving her real-world
\nexperience in her major.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nWhen stressed or homesick, Hiatt said she reminds herself
\nwhy she is there. “Every little task I am given makes me
\nfeel better equipped and able to tell a future employer,
\n‘I’ve done X,Y and Z,’ and hopefully other people
\ninterviewing for that job won’t have that same experience,”
\nshe said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nBlake Jackson, a 21-year-old political science major from
\nShreveport, La., works for U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.).
\nHe said he expects the experience will be a plus whether he
\ndecides to go to graduate school or find a job.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“I have a full semester of top-notch experience and
\nreferences that will stand out in any pile of grad school
\nand job applications,” Jackson said. “A GPA is important
\nand campus activities are special, but any employer will
\ntell you that your past work experience is what will set
\nyou apart.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nThough the WIE is an academic program, students are
\nencouraged to take advantage of the full schedule of events
\nand opportunties available to them in Washington.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nCollins said she especially enjoys activities at the Center
\nfor American Progress arranged by the university outside of
\nher internship. “We’ve been to the Kennedy Center,
\nArlington National Cemetery, Washington Monument, White
\nHouse, Wizards games and more,” she said. “Our weekends are
\neventful and the best part is that Ole Miss has helped with
\nthe expenses if they weren’t free.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nApplications for WIE are coordinated by the Division of
\nOutreach, said Mary Leach, on-campus program coordinator.
\nAfter students complete an online application, they must
\nmeet for an informal interview with Leach; Joel Clark,
\nadjunct professor of public policy leadership; and Tim
\nAngle, assistant provost of summer school and outreach.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“We do an informal interview to make sure the students are
\nup to par with this program,” Leach said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nUpon acceptance into WIE, each student has the opportunity
\nto apply for merit-based and need-based scholarships. Leach
\nsaid that 16 of the 17 students interning this semester
\nreceived scholarships. Besides scholarships associated with
\nthe WIE program, all current scholarships and financial aid
\na student is receiving also apply.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nFeedback from the interns indicates that the WIE program is
\nsuccessful. Leach is in weekly contact with each of them
\nand reports that they all seem happy and well adjusted to
\ntheir routines.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“I can’t imagine this program going any better,” Hiatt
\nsaid. “It’s been really smooth, and I can’t think of a
\nthing that could be done in a better way. The people are
\ngreat and the program advisers are amazing people who I
\nwill hopefully always keep in touch with.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nJackson said his time in Washington is proving to be
\ninvaluable. “Although Oxford in the spring is hard to miss
\n– and I sure do miss those baseball games – the time I have
\nspent here, learning daily what I want and don’t want to do
\nwith my life, has been priceless.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nFor more information visit
\nhttp:\/\/www.outreach.olemiss.edu\/washington?internship\/
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nStudents participating in the UM Washington Internship
\nExperience Program for spring 2008 are:
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

  • Christy Babb, of Nesbit, interning with the American
    \nCorrectional Association<\/li>\n
  • Jeremy Becker, Arkabutla,
    \nInternational Center for Terrorism Studies<\/li>\n
  • Drew
    \nBrooks, Knoxville, Tenn., Center for Security Policy<\/li>\n
  • Mariah Cole, Oxford, Families USA – Publications
    \nIntern<\/li>\n
  • Ashley Collins, Maumelle, Ark., Center for
    \nAmerican Progress – Economic Division<\/li>\n
  • William
    \nGillis, Columbus, Tim Rupli Lobbying Firm and the office of
    \nU.S. Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)<\/li>\n
  • Mary K. Hiatt, Dallas,
    \nTexas, U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarlings (R-TX)<\/li>\n
  • Shauna
    \nHarris, Horn Lake, Center for American Progress – Events
    \nPlanning – College Campuses<\/li>\n
  • Michelle Hoenger, San
    \nDiego, D.C. Attorney General’s Office – Juvenile
    \nDivision<\/li>\n
  • Jose Honeker, Argentina, Americans for
    \nTax Reform<\/li>\n
  • Blake Jackson, Shreveport, La., U.S.
    \nSen. David Vitter (R-LA)<\/li>\n
  • W.B. Langley, Athens,
    \nGa., U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)<\/li>\n
  • Matt Minyard,
    \nVicksburg, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee<\/li>\n
  • Elena Murgina, Sarah, International Community
    \nCorrections Association<\/li>\n
  • Evelyn Parreno, Ecuador
    \nNational Education Association<\/li>\n
  • Eric Pettit,
    \nHoulka, Correctional Corporation of America<\/li>\n
  • Stefan
    \nSanders, Pope, Naval Criminal Investigative Service,
    \nPersonnel Operations and Services Dept.<\/li>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    OXFORD, Miss. – Instead of spending sunny Saturdays in flip-flops and a T-shirt watching baseball games at Swayze Field this spring, University of Mississippi senior William Gillis is in Washington, D.C., walking the paths of top policy experts, touring Smithsonian museums and visiting national monuments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[222],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew Washington Internship Program Proving to be Excellent for 17 Students - Ole Miss News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/news.olemiss.edu\/new-washington-internship-program-proving-to-be-excellent-for-17-students\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Washington Internship Program Proving to be Excellent for 17 Students - 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