InternViews: Charlton Strong

InternViews is a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.

Charlton Strong is a public relations major and intern for The Home Depot Government Relations & External Affairs Office in Washington D.C. Read more about her internship experience below.

Provide a brief overview of your role and its associated responsibilities.

As a government relations intern, I coordinated logistics for the fly-in event and briefed attendees on key talking points. I developed concise briefs for congressional hearings, prepared policy memos and conducted targeted policy research to support the team’s advocacy initiatives.

What opportunities did you have during your internship?

I had the opportunity to sit in on meetings with lawmakers during the Aprons on the Hill fly-in event, where we discussed topics such as taxes, tariffs and organized retail crime. I also had the opportunity to attend the Combating Organized Retail Crime Hearing. Additionally, I attended the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s fly-in event, GAC, which covered current topics facing the industry and held panels with executives, congressmen and staff. For instance, Congressman Brad Schnieder (Illinois’s 10th congressional district) spoke about partisanship in Congress and the importance of retailers for economic growth as well as the New Dems initiatives. Similarly, Penta Consulting Group spoke about how to navigate the noise as a corporation in today’s political climate. We also heard from the Department of Labor Deputy Secretary, Keith Sonderling, who spoke about the importance of the skilled trade force and how corporations can design a curriculum alongside community colleges.

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

I worked on creating tailored internal memos for each department to highlight how the government relations team’s federal and state legislative wins supported their objectives. This project aimed to increase public affairs communication (PAC) engagement by clearly demonstrating the value of our advocacy efforts. I reviewed and condensed a comprehensive record of legislative achievements, then customized the content for each department to ensure relevance and impact.

How has the Grady curriculum prepared you for this internship?

The Grady curriculum strengthened both my reporting and graphic design skills, which proved valuable during my internship. I applied my reporting skills to develop concise and accurate briefs from congressional hearings and I leveraged my graphic design training to create visually engaging one-pagers and graphics for the fly-in invitations.

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience?

I received invaluable mentorship from Amanda Maddox, my AdPR professor in D.C., who greatly enhanced my internship experience. She connected me with professionals in the field, opening doors to new opportunities and exemplified what it means to give back to the UGA community. Her guidance, encouragement and willingness to invest in my growth made a lasting impact, and I’m deeply grateful for the time and energy she poured into me.

What challenges have you overcome in this role?

The biggest hurdle I faced in the beginning was learning the technical jargon and keep up with the ever changing political landscape. I did this by spending a lot of time researching and asking questions in the beginning.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you gained from your experience?

The most valuable piece of advice was to network authentically, which not only strengthens professional relationships, but also fosters trust and opens doors to opportunities that might not have been possible otherwise.

How has this internship influenced your future career?

This internship gave me a deeper understanding of how businesses and government interact and reinforced the importance of effective advocacy. It also sparked a strong interest in returning to Washington, D.C., after graduation to continue working in this space.

Editor: Lily Alarcon, lia52467@uga.edu