Tag: D.C.

Grady InternViews: Chandler Rebel

Posted on by admin

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

Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities.

The company I am working for is the Institute for Energy Research, my title is Communications Intern and I am working in Washington D.C. It is your typical 9-5. I metro in with some coffee and immediately get to work on writing press releases and opinion-editorials (Op-Eds). In addition to this, I assist in the development of the company’s website as well as assist in research. I also closely monitor our blog and Twitter for trending hashtags and subjects to tweet about. I participate in calls with major contributors to the organization and assist with their podcasts releasing’s. In an environment such as this, I am always jumping task to task, writing for publishers, researching for material and keeping a streamline communications department on track.

How is your internship affecting the ideas you have about your future? 

It is more than confirming my future aspirations. Being able to work in a journalistic capacity covering a political issue is very rewarding and I like to think I am already making a difference.

What has been your favorite part about living and working in DC?

My favorite part about living and working in DC would have to be the friends I have had the chance of making along the way. And also an occasional Washington Nationals game.

When you look back on your internship 10 years from now, what part of your summer internship do you think you’ll remember most?

I think I will remember my fantastic organization taking a chance on me and pouring so much knowledge into my work ethic.

What is the most valuable lesson or skill you have learned during your internship?

Always edit, and after you edit, edit again and again. 

How do you feel that the Public Affairs Professional certificate in Public Affairs Communications has prepared you for tackling the job?

I feel that the PAC certificate has more than prepared me. I have a long way to go before writing flawlessly, but I have learned to do so adequately through the program. It has also contributed to being able to adapt with an ever-changing political environment

What is your advice for other students looking to take on a similar role, and what advice would you give them if they’re considering a PAC certificate?

By all means, do it! You have to have an attitude that desires personal growth and an invaluable opportunity. These internships, along with the PAC certificate, are the perfect way to continue this growth.

What has been the most memorable experience you have had during your internship so far? 

So far, it was walking out to grab something and seeing former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sitting at the conference table.

Editor’s Note: The Public Affairs Communications Program is a certificate program within Grady College that provides students with practical training in the strategy and practice of public affairs communications focused on public policy and politics.

#GradyInternDiaries: Madison French

Posted on by Stephanie Moreno

Name: Madison French

Major: Public Relations, Public Affairs Professionals Certificate

Title of Internship: Press Intern

For: Congresswoman Karen Handel and Senator David Perdue

Location: Washington, D.C.—House of Representatives and Senate

Responsibilities: In my role as the press intern, I took photos, made social media graphics and assisted the press team with interviews. I also interacted with constituents and gave capitol tours.

What was the best part about your summer internship?

The best part about interning on the hill was that there was always something exciting happening. My tour groups would always say, “I can’t believe that we’re here when this is going on!” I was thankful to experience twelve weeks of that excitement while living in Delta Hall as part of the Grady DC program.

Madison’s official picture with Congresswoman Karen Handel. Madison was a member of the congresswoman’s first class of interns.

The best part about my summer internship was getting to work for Congresswoman Handel. I have looked up to her for a while now and I really enjoyed working with her and her team this summer to represent my home district. On my last day she thanked for all my hard work. It was a surreal moment to have my role model tell me that she was proud of me.

What is the most memorable experience you had during your internship?

My most memorable experience was getting to be a part of Senator Perdue’s press team. They were so welcoming and they really went out of their way to create opportunities for me. One of my favorite memories was getting to update the senator’s Snapchat account at the United States Marine Corps at a special Sunset Parade where he was being honored.

What was the biggest surprise in your internship?

Madison and her fellow interns meeting with Senator Perdue on their first day in his D.C. office.

I was surprised that there were so many UGA alumni in D.C. I met and worked with so many great alumni who were all excited to mentor me. I would definitely recommend for anyone going up to the hill to reach out to the alumni association because they were such a great resource for me and the other students living in Delta Hall.

What advice would you give to a student looking for an internship?

I would tell students to ask for help when applying to internships. Grady has great connections all over the country and my professors were a great resource for me and the other students in the Grady DC program.

What part of your Grady education did you find most valuable during your internship?

While I was on the hill, I was thankful for everything I had learned in the Public Affairs Professionals classes. Our professors, Brian Robinson and Joseph Watson, really prepared me for my internships and I was glad to know I could always email them when I had questions or needed advice.

 

PR major is an inaugural Chambliss Fellow

Posted on by Don McClain

Eleanor Traynham, a double major in political science and public relations, is one of three University of Georgia students selected as the first Chambliss Fellows.

The fellowship program is part of the Chambliss Leadership Forum, which honors the commitment of public service that has defined the lives of former Sen. Saxby Chambliss and his wife, Julianne, and provides a platform to share his insights and expertise with the next generation of leaders.

Traynham is spending the Spring semester at UGA’s Delta Hall Washington, D.C.  working in Sen. Johnny Isakson’s office.  She hopes the internship is the start of a career in Washington, D.C.

“It’s my dream to work on the Hill,” she said, “so interning is a pretty essential first step.”

Traynham knows she wants to work in politics and plans to take this opportunity to decide on the exact role she’d like to play and where she sees herself in the future.

“It’s very fast paced, and every day is different. So far I really enjoy working in that environment,” she said. “I have learned to never be afraid to ask questions.”

Read the full story in UGA Columns.