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UD grad students test the waters in Washington, D.C.
4:14 p.m., Sept. 6, 2006--Three University of Delaware graduate students got hands-on experience in Washington, D.C., this summer while working at the National Conference of State Legislatures, Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner's office in Washington, and the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security. Sallyann Christabel Bergh, Craig de Mariana Aleman and Erik Hopkins, all graduate students pursuing master's degrees in public administration in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, part of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy (CHEP), were the first students to participate in a new 10-week Washington Fellows Program, which is modeled after UD's Legislative Fellows Program in Dover. Selection for the summer program, which is sponsored by UD's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), was based on a written test and a panel interview with representatives from the respective offices in Washington. The students, who received a stipend and worked 35 hours a week, each wrote papers on their experiences and earned two academic credits. “It's an opportunity for the students to gain professional experience and also an opportunity to experience life in Washington, D.C.,” Ed Freel, policy scientist in IPA, said. “Whether they eventually work in Washington or for state or local government, this program will certainly increase their value as employees in the future. They will have the Washington experience to enrich their perception and knowledge.” Aleman said the program not only threw him into the fast-paced Capitol Hill environment, but it gave him an opportunity to play a part in the legislative process. “At the National Conference of State Legislatures, I was handed a 1,000-page document, Senate Bill 2611, known as 'the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006,' and I had to analyze how the bill would impact state governments,” Aleman said. “My 30-page summary was posted and distributed online, reaching thousands of readers.” Hopkins, who was assigned to the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security, said the program was an eye-opening experience that gave him the confidence to ask questions and hold government officials accountable. “It is truly a blessing to contribute to critical issues that will affect our nation's future, such as cyber infrastructure security, the Iranian nuclear research program and business system modernization in the Department of Defense," Hopkins said. “The program has enabled me to enrich both my professional and academic experience immensely. I have learned that politics is not only a science of policy, but an art of communication and interpersonal skills.” Freel said all three students spoke about an “awesome” experience working and interacting with a large number of government officials and said that they are “very, very satisfied to have the opportunity.” “The program exposes you to a side of Washington that you cannot learn about anywhere else,” Aleman said. “You also contribute to history while working in and around Capitol Hill.” Although the program received most applications from the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, it is open to all UD students, Freel said. Article by Martin Mbugua |
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