Twenty-three University of Tennessee Students Spend the Summer in Washington in Congressional Internship Program
Undergraduate students from several University of Tennessee, Knoxville, colleges and programs spent the summer in Washington, D.C. gaining valuable out-of-the-classroom experiences in private and public sectors.
Twenty-three students participated in the Congressional Internship Program (CIP) which placed them in congressional offices, think tanks, government relations and lobbying firms. Supported by the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) and the Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration in the Division of Student Success, CIP is a scholarship and nomination program designed to enhance students’ opportunities to work with legislators in Washington, D.C. Students selected to participate are provided with housing at no cost to the student and work closely with legislative staff on a variety of projects.
Sophomore Scotty Brown interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s front office, answering phones, going through mail, running items around Capitol Hill, and giving tours of the capitol building. He also had the opportunity to work on small research projects relating to legislation and attending several Senate hearings then writing summaries for legislative staff. A highlight for him was giving a tour of the Capitol to a group from the Army Corps of Engineers who were training in D.C. before being deployed worldwide.
“Honestly, one of the most exciting parts of being an intern is seeing politicians everywhere,” Brown, a public affairs and economics major said. “Politics aside, it’s surreal to work in a place where you’re surrounded by high-profile politicians all the time.”
Alice Grace Beavers, a food science major with a pre-professional medical concentration and a public policy analytics minor, also interned for Hagerty. A native Tennessean, Beavers started and ended each day serving Tennessee constituents in whatever capacity was needed. She saw her purpose as serving the people of her home state and was proud of it.
Beavers had the chance to sit in a hearing with the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food, and Drug Administration about allocating money for the next fiscal year’s budget. She said the experience offered insight into how all Senators worked effectively to pass bipartisan legislation that impacts every American each day.
While working on special legislative projects, Beavers used the skills she had developed at UT, specifically her undergraduate independent research at the Herbert College of Agriculture. Her involvement around campus taught her many of the versatile skills that were needed during the internship.
“I’m really excited to work on emerging issues in the State with my Haslam Leadership Scholars cohort to help solve pertinent Issues in Tennessee, which I think my internship with Senator Hagerty has vastly prepared me for,” Beavers said.
Emma Arns was a policy intern with the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee. She worked with the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.
Each day of her internship gave her a new experience, including attending staff meetings to understand the inner workings of staff responsibilities, researching agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and engaging in outreach with industry specialists.
Arns, a business and political science major from Chicago, Illinois, worked within the Committee’s communications department, taking part in clipping and editing hearing segments for the committee website, collecting press contacts, and researching media outlets. Her internship gave her a full view of the work that happens in committees and subcommittees.
CIP is an exceptional opportunity for UT students to spend the summer in the nation’s capital, build their resumes through hands-on experience and explore career options. The program is open to students across UT no matter their academic discipline. Students are selected for internships, participate in professional development workshops provided by the Baker School before starting. Academic credit is an option, depending on coursework and major. The application and nomination window will open in October for the Summer 2025 cohort.