The PPPA internship program provides wide ranging opportunities for majors to get hands on experience in a setting outside the classroom. PPPA interns work in settings that are related to government, political campaigns, and public policy. This quarter interns are working on congressional campaigns and in law firms. Taylor Rome is working on congressman Denny Heck’s reelection campaign, Alina Gnatyuk is working on Congressman Derek Kilmer’s reelection campaign, and Sandra Kruh is working at the Barokas Martin and Tomlinson law firm. Another exciting internship opportunity is the Washington State Legislative Internship program, which is open to all UW Tacoma students. We currently have intern hopefuls interviewing for the legislative internship program, and the successful candidates will intern full time in Olympia during Winter quarter. There will be more internship opportunities for PPPA students during Winter and Spring quarters. PPPA interns get practical experience, an extension of their academic studies, and complete their Capstone requirement with the internship. All PPPA students interested in doing an internship during Winter or Spring quarters should contact Professor Ann Frost at acfrost@u.washington.edu.
Tag Archives: Legislature
Applications being accepted for fall internships
As Fall Quarter approaches it’s time for our Law and Policy and Politics, Philosophy and Economics students to decide whether or not to apply for an internship. PPPA internships, generally limited to our graduating seniors, offer exciting opportunities for students to round out their coursework with practical applications. Enrolling in one of our internship courses (TPOLS 496 or TPOLS 497) also is a way of meeting our majors’ capstone requirement. Right now we are accepting applications for a select number of students to engage in Fall internships via TPOLS 496. For more information please contact Professor Ann Frost at acfrost@u.washington.edu.
During the winter and spring quarters, other select students will have the opportunity to engage in additional internships via TPOLS 496, and all PPPA students will have the option of interning for the Washington State Legislature and enrolling in TPOLS 497 and earning their capstone credit. You can learn more about this competitive internship by visiting our website or attending an upcoming information session in BHS 106 on Tuesday September 30th from noon until 12:50.
2014 graduate Chelsea Hagar
2014 PP&E graduate Chelsea Hager recently landed a full time job working for Congressman Derek Kilmer in his Tacoma office. Hager welcomes the opportunity to expand her professional development, enhance her interpersonal skills, and have some fun before pursuing her post-graduate education.
Chelsea t
ransferred to UWT from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. With her family and friends in Washington state—she is one of six daughters—she missed the Pacific Northwest, and was happy to come back home. Upon arriving she quickly choose to major in Politics, Philosophy & Economics as the major “encompasses all of my academic interests.”
In her senior year, Chelsea began to work in Rep. Kilmer’s Tacoma office as a way to gain experience and meet her capstone requirement. In March 2014, Hager was hired as the Staff Assistant and has taken on the coordination for the Tacoma District Office internship program. While the position is very challenging, it aligns with her interests in public service and her passion for politics. Earlier this year, Chelsea gained admission to seven law schools. However, but she has since decided to delay law school for one year. She will reapply next fall, and plans to practice public service law one day. For now, she enjoys running and has recently completed a 15k, with her sights set on finishing a half-marathon. Perhaps–someday–she’ll even run for office!
Summer course on Elections and Campaigns engages students
This summer w
e’re providing a unique opportunity for students to gain credit while also working on election-related activities such as working on a campaign, working on campaign coverage in the news, or investigating particular issues that arise during the campaign season. In the course TPOLS 405 Advanced Elections and Campaigns taught by Prof. Ben Gonzalez, you’ll learn about the rules and organization of political campaigns, and examine the role of media and campaign finance in the outcome of elections. PPE and Law and Policy students can also use this class to meet capstone requirements! For more information, email Ben Gonzalez at bfg@uw.edu.
From Tacoma to Bishkek: PPPA students experience internships
Lester Burkes, intern for Sen. Sheldon
This winter was a busy time for student internships. Eleven of our students won spots in the prestigious Washington State Legislative Internship program in Olympia – which meant once again UW Tacoma sent more students to participate in this program than did any other school in the state. Students interned with senators and representatives during the past legislative session. In addition to their office work, interns participated in weekly academic seminars and workshops, met with state officials, took part in a budget exercises, and participated in mock hearings and mock floor debates. Many also had opportunities to shadow an elected official or administrator of a state agency, and take a trip to Victoria, B.C. to compare law making in Canada with law making in the US. Seven other PPPA students interned for members of the US Congress here in Tacoma (Rep. Derek Kilmer) and Seattle (Sen. Patty Murray), while three went to Washington, DC to work for Rep. Kilmer, Rep. Adam Smith, and Sen. Maria Cantwell. One other intern worked at Joint Base Ft. Lewis-McChord, and a final was the ASUWT representative in Olympia.
Brandon Bannister debating on the Senate fl
Michael in Bishkek
- Global Studies major Kristie Weisert interned for Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles. While sitting at the Senator’s desk, she remarked that “my Senator makes me feel like I could actually be a Senator one day!”
My-Le Tang with Gov. Inslee
This quarter also saw one of our students, Michael Wotherspoon (a senior, majoring in Law and Policy) intern in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He is still there studying Russian and writing for Spektator Magazine, a publication that reports on Central Asian affairs. Our man in Bishkek is writing articles about democratic reform and freedom of religion in the Kyrgyz Republic — a topic he’ll share with us during a May 29th seminar.
Alumni writes wildfire law
Last year, UW Tacoma alum Anna Freudenberg, a graduate of the Washington State Legislative Internship program and currently a Willamette Law School student, worked with other law students to write and then lobby a bill through the Oregon Legislature. The bill enacts measures to reduce wildfires, and last year it became law in Oregon. Anna remarked that “Without having gained all the experience I gained while interning with the Washington State Senate, I am not sure if this would have still been possible.” To her surprise, this year her and her colleagues’ bill was introduced into the Washington Legislature, and on January 17th it advanced to the House floor for discussion.
Spring class: run Washington, DC
This spring, PPPA is offering a new course on the United States Congress (TPOLS 353). It provides
a unique learning opportunity by engaging students in an actual simulation of a legislative session through the use of specialized computer software. Students will be assigned to committees, will debate issues, and will hold votes. Some days will be designated for committee work, while others will be used to elect “legislators” to positions, vote on bills, allow for floor speeches, debate legislation, and so on. Through this hands-on experience, students will gain an appreciation for how the U.S. Congress functions. The course is offered Monday & Wednesday 10:20-12:25. Contact Prof. Ben Gonzalez for more information (bfg@uw.edu).