Former President Bill Clinton's speech last Wednesday may have left many aspiring political science majors wondering what it would be like to have a White House internship on their own r?(c)sum?(c)s.
As the stepping stones for those who choose a career in politics or law, internships for many UB juniors and seniors at noteworthy organizations prove to be an important aspect of the job hunt upon graduation.
"I wanted to get experience in the field and further build my r?(c)sum?(c) before going to law school," said Chris Conroy, a senior interning in the office of New York State Assembly member Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo, Grand Island). "This was the first internship offered to me and I enjoy it."
In addition to helping students build a r?(c)sum?(c) and gain valuable work experience, many local organizations provide internships that offer students university credit, including the district attorney's office, Hoyt's office, the office of Erie County Legislator Mark Schroeder and Sen. Hillary Clinton's Buffalo office.
"We work on events in Western New York, doing constituent and liaison work," said Dennis Fish, a third-year law school student interning in Sen. Clinton's office. "It has been a pleasure working for Mrs. Clinton, it has helped my concentration on government law and my r?(c)sum?(c)."
In order to land a community internship through the political science department, students must be political science majors in their junior or senior year in good academic standing and must have taken several 300-level courses within the department.
The application is first evaluated in the political science department. If approved, it is passed on to the internship program for acceptance.
"I ask them to come in for an interview and I evaluate their application and credentials," said Curtis Hamm, coordinator of the Public Service Internship Program. "Meeting the requirements will most likely help their chances of getting the internship."
Depending on the program, participants can earn as many as 16 hours of academic credit. During the internship, students are graded on the field supervisor's evaluation, the program director's evaluation, a semester report, the student's 10-page internship evaluation paper, 20-page research paper and participation in seminars.
"While doing constituent case work they are required to go to class once a week," said Jim Murphy, director of the New York State Assembly Internship Committee. "They have homework, quizzes, lectures and a paper by the end of the semester."
The workload may seem discouraging, but the actual experience can be rewarding. According to Hamm, it helps students draw a parallel between classroom atmosphere and working in the real world.
"I am not saying that classes are not important but I think sometimes just the practical work experience can be more beneficial," said Hamm.
UB alumnus Dr. John Fitzpatrick is program director of the prestigious SUNY Washington Semester Program that provides students with work and study experience in Congressional offices, the Supreme Court, governmental and nongovernmental organizations and even the White House.
"Our program has earned a reputation in Washington for providing a core of good internships," said Fitzpatrick. "The fact that no single student has been declined to work in the White House has to do with the professional experience gained."
According to Fitzpatrick, the program also maintains an academic component comprised of seminars, a mentor system and an academic journal that publishes papers written by interns.
Because of the common perception that interns only do office work, Jason Litwak, a junior political science major, was unsure of the kind of work he would be doing through the Washington Semester Program.
"I thought I would be the low man doing coffee, photocopying and faxing, but I ended up doing important stuff," said Litwak. "I got to work for Sen. Joseph Lieberman, doing research for him and even wrote a speech for him."
According to Richard Feldman, a senior political science major, the program gave him an opportunity to interview for six various organizations and to choose the one he wanted to intern for.
"The American Federation of Teachers upheld all of my beliefs about education in America as well as my belief in the labor movement," stated Feldman. "My work is focused on researching companies, writing articles on charter schools, drafting profiles of education management organizations, attending meetings and congressional hearings."
Students who have completed internships find that the experience gives them a better idea about their preferable career choice and aids them in securing jobs in that field post-graduation.
"It is a good taste of the real world and U.S. politics, and without this experience I would not have met all these people who are actively finding me a job," stated Feldman. "I have many interviews coming up and a lot of good possibilities. I would have to recommend this program to anyone who is not sure of where they want to go after graduation."
