Grady InternViews: Shweta Krishnan

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.  

Shweta Krishnan is a third-year journalism and political science student working for DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice as a General Intern. Read on as she provides insight into what this internship looks like.

Briefly describe your internship and its associated responsibilities.

DC Appleseed is a non-profit organization that has created various projects to help address and solve D.C. specific issues. Some of the projects I worked on were health equity, gun safety, and fair elections in D.C. Within these projects, I was assigned different tasks, such as compiling research from academic journals, editing reports, writing bill memos, and taking notes on D.C. Council Meetings.

What opportunities did you have during your internship?

I had the chance to connect with professionals in both the non-profit space, as well as those working in general law firms. I think that was especially beneficial for me, since I was trying to use this summer as a learning experience to figure out what I wanted to pursue as a future career. My favorite event I attended as part of my internship was hosted by the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at the Georgetown Law School. The event was about the entire Supreme Court term in review, along with health and democracy after 2 years of the ruling of the Dobbs decision. I had the opportunity to meet with reporters, journalists, and lawyers all who were interested in the intersection of health policy and democracy, and it gave me an idea of something I might want to pursue as a future career in the future.

What skills and knowledge have you gained from your internship?

I’ve learned how to continue advocating for myself and communicating my goals clearly in the workplace. When I first started, I wasn’t really sure of the opportunities that D.C. had to offer for interns, but when I made it clear to my bosses and co-workers of what I was looking to get out of my internship experience, they found ways for me to connect with professionals in different areas. They also gave me tasks they knew would be worthwhile with my time, in terms of improving my writing skills and learning more about the policy space in general.

What is one work you are proud of creating in this role?

mental health crises for children in schools) for the D.C. Council. That wasn’t something I expected to do coming into this internship opportunity since I wasn’t working in a traditional Capitol Hill office. I was happy to be able to use my skills to help my company and have a great learning experience in the process.

How did you balance your internship with everyday life?

As part of the GradyDC program, we have to take one class (ADPR 5991) along with our internship. The class involves guest speakers, meeting with professionals in the government and public affairs spaces and completing writing assignments, like press releases and op-eds. I feel very fortunate because the class work has been manageable and my bosses have given me the ability to be flexible with my schedule, so I am able to attend all class-related meetings and events and still contribute my work to the company. However, as with any work-related role, it’s important to take breaks, recharge and understand your productivity limits.

What challenges have you overcome in this role?

I struggled to adjust to this internship environment because I was constantly used to being on-the-go and always having something to do. In this position, I feel like there were a lot of times where I wasn’t given a specific task, and I had to learn to ask and offer my help where I could, but also just figure out how to use my time productively and help the company in the best way I could.

How has the Grady curriculum you’ve taken prepared you for this internship?

I think all Grady classes have a component that teaches you how to write concisely and effectively. A lot of the tasks I have been given have involved compiling research, editing reports, writing bill memos, and I feel like the general Grady classes, along with classes I have taken as part of the Public Affairs Communications certificate have allowed me to be successful in that aspect with this internship. 

Who is one Grady Professor who has inspired you? 

Dr. Jonathan Peters- I had the chance to take his Media Law class in the spring, and it was by far one of my favorite classes that I have taken at UGA so far. He’s a great professor and is always willing to help his students, and I love the work that he’s done. Most of all, I appreciated his candid and very applicable life advice he would offer because I definitely think it’s something I would carry with me through the rest of my time in college and into my future career.

What advice would you give to someone looking to apply to similar internships?

Reach out to previous students who have done internships in fields you are interested in. It’s always great to get student perspectives so you feel prepared if you decide to pursue a certain opportunity. Also, make use of the resources that UGA offers to try and more opportunities that you might be interested in. Most importantly, never limit your options when applying for internships.

How has this internship influenced your future career?

It helped me realize that working in the nonprofit world is most likely not something I would want to do, and that’s ok! I think it’s just as important to have experiences where you can take important skills from them, even if it’s not what you want to pursue as a future career.

How did you find out about this internship?

LinkedIn- I saw previous students had interned here when they participated in the Washington Semester Program.

Editor: Shannon Lorusso; sel67411@uga.edu