As I planned to move to Washington DC for my senior fall semester, I was overwhelmed with excitement and optimism, eager to begin this part of my career. However, I didn’t fully anticipate how much the SUNY Washington Internship Program would prepare me for success. This semester, I interned at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) as a Public Policy fellow. NCOSE is a bipartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to combating all forms of sexual exploitation. In my role I worked closely with the public policy team, gaining a behind the scenes look at how public policy is created and implemented.
During my time at NCOSE, I conducted outreach at the federal level, drafting and emailing congressional offices to advocate for legislation, particularly the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). I also conducted outreach at the state level, emailing state legislators to propose model legislation concerning sexual exploitation issues. In my role, staying organized was crucial, as I needed to plan meetings with numerous state legislators and federal level staffers at different times regarding various bills. In addition to outreach, I attended meetings and participated in numerous events representing NCOSE as an observer. For example, I attended the markup of KOSA in the Energy and Commerce Committee and observed the TAKE IT DOWN Act press conference with Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar. I had many opportunities to go to the Hill and advocate for KOSA by meeting with congressional staffers, which gave me a behind the scenes look of the legislative process and what goes into passing a bill. Working in the non-profit sector, I had the opportunity to engage directly with survivors, which reinforced how important and impactful this field can be.
My time at NCOSE has been amazing and incredibly rewarding. It has reaffirmed the career path I want to pursue, which is working on legislation that will help preserve our democracy and uphold human and civil rights. I am so excited to continue with NCOSE next semester as a Public Policy Research Associate, where I will work remotely while I finish my last semester at St. John Fisher University.
In addition to loving my internship, I loved the SUNY Washington Internship Program. Some of my favorite Friday classes included a tour of CNN Studios, where we got to meet Jake Tapper, as well as our visit to the State Department and the Pentagon. It wasn’t just Friday classes where we explored the city; we were in DC during a historic presidential election. Being in the program during this time afforded us incredibly special opportunities. We attended Vice President Kamala Harris’s closing presidential speech at the Ellipse, as well as her live election night watch party at Howard University, and a Women’s March just days before the election. These events demonstrated what it means to live in a representative democracy and exercise our first amendment right.
Everything I have experienced in DC has been incredible; however, a long-lasting takeaway from this program is the friendships I have formed. Being surrounded by and living with individuals who share your passions and interests creates a bond like no other. There is no better place than Washington DC!
My semester wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for our program directors, Robert Powell and Casey Cappelletti. I have never met two individuals so passionate about their work and dedicated to helping their students succeed. I can’t count the number of times they’ve provided me with advice, listened to what I had to say, and supported me as not only a supervisor but as a friend. They are both incredible people with such big hearts and it shows.
As I am now home in New Hampshire writing this, I am so grateful for this past semester and am very sad it’s over. If you are thinking about doing the program but are having doubts, there is no need to hesitate; trust me, your life will change for the better! I have met my forever friends, found my career path, and found my new home. To my semester in DC!