In This Story
Internships are a vital part of a Schar School of Policy and Government education. With access to key institutions and decisionmakers in nearby Washington, D.C., George Mason University presents unparalleled opportunities to gain firsthand experience in real-world settings. Here, the dean of the Schar School tells his own internship story and how it confirmed his career choices.
As a high school student in southeast New York state, I was chosen in my senior year to participate in a three-week study program in far off Washington, D.C. Given my early enthusiasm to follow politics, the opportunity was energizing and exciting and I couldn’t wait to live and work in the nation’s capital, even for just three weeks.
Part of that program included an internship component, one that seemed too good to be true. I was going to work in the Rayburn Building office of U.S. Rep. Benjamin Gilman, the moderate Republican who represented my home district. The experience—not that they let teenagers do much of consequence in the way of creating policy—had a big impact on my ultimate decision to major in political science.
A second congressional internship, this one during college, also had a profound impact on my career. It convinced me that I much preferred to study and analyze politics than be a practitioner. It was a valuable lesson to learn, and I am grateful I had the period during the internship to learn it.
And that’s what internships provide. Working in a professional environment as a college student helps illuminate your true passions, gives direction to your future, and affords an opportunity to assemble a network of new colleagues to make your ambition a reality.
I’m happy to say that we at the Schar School routinely find positions for students in the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and at countless nongovernment organizations, nonprofits, and private enterprises that have established strong relationships with us over the years. In fact, they count on us to provide them with prepared and enthusiastic students to help them achieve their goals.
To read more about how the Schar School helps students gain access to internships in and around Washington, D.C., see “Internships: Where, When, How—and Why.”