During the 2024 Fall semester, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in the SUNY Washington Internship Program. Thanks to this program, I was able to spend an entire semester in D.C., gain real-world work experience, witness political history, and build strong relationships with classmates and professionals.
When one thinks of a Political Science student interning in Washington, D.C., they likely assume that their work will be political in nature, take place with a member of Congress, or involve advocacy, but this is where I strayed from the pack. Some of my interests still align with those options, but my excitement came to fruition with federal law enforcement agencies. This passion of mine led me to search elsewhere for an internship, but ultimately it landed me with the perfect fit: The United States Marshals Service (USMS).
My internship with the USMS was more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. As a federal law enforcement agency, the USMS has a multitude of responsibilities. Their main duties include apprehending fugitives, judicial protection, prisoner transportation, asset forfeiture, witness protection, and executing court orders. I got a front row seat to the lives of deputy US Marshals as well as the administrative side. My days were never the same, which is something that I thoroughly enjoyed. Life in the office consisted of working closely with an investigative analyst. Together, we executed warrants, lodged detainers, and managed the USMS caseload. I was responsible for multiple case management projects where I searched inmate information in our databases, added necessary documents to files, created spreadsheets to organize active cases, conducted data entry, and archived cases that were closed throughout the year. In addition, I learned how to create criminal profiles and enter warrants in our computer system, so I told my roommates they better stay out of trouble.
Another aspect of my internship that I loved was our placement within a courthouse. As someone who has always had an interest in criminal law, this was the perfect setting for me. I had the opportunity to observe various court proceedings and attend any sessions that interested me. Part of the role of being a Deputy US Marshal is the oversight of prisoners. Once someone is apprehended, then they are brought to our cell blocks where they wait for their scheduled court appearance. Throughout their time in incarceration, they may face several court dates, and it is the job of deputies to transport them to court and remain vigilant during the proceedings to prevent potential violence. Accompanying prisoners in court was an everyday duty for the deputies in my office, so it gave me a taste of what I would be tasked with in that role. I was able to experience initial appearances, arraignments, preliminary hearings, detention hearings, sentencings, plea hearings, drug court, jury selection, a criminal trial, and a naturalization ceremony. Many of these were proceedings that I either did not know existed, or have never had the chance to attend, so it was very interesting and educational to experience such events.
My role as an intern exposed me to these various workings within the organization, but they also took a unique approach of introducing us to other federal agencies. The internship coordinator at Headquarters organized a series of meetings and field trips to help us get a better idea of what the Marshals Service does as well as other federal entities. As a result of this, I was fortunate enough to experience places such as D.C. District and Superior Courts, INTERPOL, FBI Headquarters, other USMS locations, DEA Training Academy in Quantico, and the Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) headquarters. During these visits, we were able to speak with agents regarding their experiences and learn more about careers with other federal agencies.
In addition to my incredible internship experience, I also enjoyed a series of extracurricular events in D.C. as a member of the program. Whether it was walking around a museum, taking a trip to the Pentagon, attending political events, or watching various sporting events, I loved being able to explore the city. There was never a chance for boredom when we had events lined up and a lively city around us. As a student athlete, I particularly loved attending a Washington Nationals baseball game as well as two Washington Spirit soccer games. The program directors made a great effort to find additional activities that were tailored to the students’ interests, so this was an aspect that I absolutely loved about the program.
Overall, I am extremely grateful to have had this experience, and I am so glad I took the leap. There are nerves that come with living in a new place and nearly starting over, but it is very worthwhile. Both the internship experience and class sessions taught me so much about living in the real world, but it was in a fun trial run sort of way. This semester is one that I will never forget, and I do not have any regrets about participating. If given the opportunity, I would encourage everyone to consider taking part in this remarkable program.