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Emily Clarke
SPIA: May 2012
Legislative Intern at Joe Tanner & Associates
This past semester, I interned on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. Instead of being in class every day, I worked a full day from 9AM-6PM in the Russell Senate Building. As a political science major, I would like to say that I had a pretty good understanding of the government before I got to the District. After four months living on America’s political stage, I realized that my idea of the how the government works was quite inaccurate.
From an academic, personal, and professional level, my life was severely impacted from the Washington Semester Program. I learned things that could never be accurately taught in school. I had only heard about the Senate, and after watching a roll call vote firsthand, I can say that I truly experienced it. The skills I learned in the office, even if they were basic, taught me how to be professional and to succeed in the work force. In my current job at a lobbying firm, I feel like I am already ahead of the game. Working in Washington D.C. also confirmed my goal of going to law school. Even if I do not end up being a lawyer, having a law degree opens up the door to many political and government fields.