Congressional Internship Program Students Work and Study in Washington, D.C.
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“Thank you so much for following through with a dream. Words could never say what you have done for me.”
Anthony Snow,
Humboldt State University |
Each fall, the Panetta Institute hosts students for its Congressional Internship Program, beginning in mid-August with an intensive two-week course at the Institute and continuing through mid-November in Washington, D.C.
During the introductory session, interns who are nominated by the presidents of the twenty-three CSU campuses, as well as Santa Clara University and Dominican University of California — and approved for participation by the Panetta Institute and a representative from the Chancellor’s Office – attend lectures led by an array of experts from diverse disciplines.
Class discussion at the Panetta Institute ranges from national fiscal and monetary policy to practicalities of what interns can expect once they arrive for work in Washington. Sessions focus on policy issues as well as on how congressional office-holders coordinate their work with state and local governments and constituents.
Each intern is then assigned to work for two and one-half months in a Capitol Hill office of a member of the California congressional delegation.
“There’s just no substitute for this kind of first-hand experience to promote public service,” says Institute Chairman Leon E. Panetta, “and we’ve had tremendous cooperation from our members of Congress – both Republicans and Democrats – in working with our students.”
Studies continue when the students move off to Washington. In addition to their work in congressional offices, participants attend weekly seminars on policy issues and different aspects of government policy.
Experts who spoke to interns during the 2012 orientation included:
Alec Arago, District Director, 17th Congressional District and former Congressional Legislative Aide
Dr. John Arquilla, Professor, Department of Defense Analysis, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Ryan Coonerty, City Council Member, City of Santa Cruz
James Copeland, former Deputy Assistant to President Jimmy Carter
Jim Cunneen, former Assemblyman, 24th District, California State Assembly
Les Francis, Principal, Washington Media Group, former Congressional and White House Staff
John Franzén, Senior Communications Officer, Pew Charitable Trusts
Pat Griffin, former Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs
Dian Grueneich, former Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Sarah Henry, Program Director, Next 10
Frank Hespe, J.D., Professor, Panetta Institute
Dennis Hungridge, Manager, Human Resources Learning and Development, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Dr. Abbas Kadhim, Professor, National Security Affairs Department, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Fred Keeley, Treasurer, Santa Cruz County and former Assemblyman, 27th District, California State Assembly
Dr. Richard Kezirian, Professor and Senior Program Coordinator, Panetta Institute
Dr. Ronnie Lipschutz, Professor of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz
Charles Mahtesian, National Political Editor, Politico
Fred Meurer, City Manager, City of Monterey
Dr. Joe Minarik, Senior Vice President and Director of Research, Committee for Economic Development
Marian Mulkey, Director, California Healthcare Foundation’s Health Reform and Public Programs Initiative
Jack O’Connell, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction, California
Sylvia Panetta, Co-Director, Panetta Institute
David Pomerantz, Democratic Staff Director, House Appropriations Committee
Dr. George Somero, Associate Director, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
John Sullivan, former Parliamentarian, U.S. House of Representatives
Dr. Fernando Torres-Gil, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, School of Public Policy and Social Research, UCLA; former Assistant Secretary for Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Phil Trounstine, Co-Publisher and Co-Editor, Calbuzz.com
Ellen Wilson, Program Coordinator and Archivist, Panetta Institute
The Institute covers program costs including CSUMB course registration fees, campus services during orientation, air travel and housing in Washington. Each intern also receives a stipend to help cover other expenses. Upon successful completion of the course, interns earn up to twenty semester credits.
The 2012 roster of interns and congressional office assignments were as follows:
- Sarah Baca, CSU San Bernardino, Congressman Howard Berman
- Jordan Ball, CSU Channel Islands, Congressman Mike Honda
- Courtney Bennett, San Diego State University, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
- Aaron Chua, CSU Los Angeles, Congressman John Garamendi
- Jenna Clark, CSU Sacramento, Congressman Buck McKeon
- Anna Consani, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Congresswoman Susan Davis
- Wesley Dodd, CSU Fresno, Congresswoman Barbara Lee
- James Elrod, CSU San Marcos, Congressman Dan Lungren
- Amanda Flavin, CSU Northridge, Congressman Elton Gallegly
- Emily Flemming, CSU East Bay, Congresswoman Lois Capps
- Kirsten Foster, Chico State University, Congressman Ed Royce
- Aaron Garavaglia, San Jose State University, Congressman Ken Calvert
- Aerris Hoskin, San Francisco State University, Congressman Pete Stark
- Nicholas Johnson, CSU Stanislaus, Congressman Duncan Hunter
- Sydney Lewis, Dominican University of California, Congressman Sam Farr
- Glory Lopez, CSU Dominguez Hills, Congresswoman Jackie Speier
- Jennifer Nieto, CSU Sacramento, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
- Hannah Plummer, CSU Monterey Bay, Congressman Devin Nunes
- Paul Ramey, Sonoma State University, Congressman Bob Filner
- William Reese, California Maritime Academy, Congresswoman Doris Matsui
- Victor Republicano, III, Santa Clara University, Congressman Joe Baca
- John Sellers, CSU Long Beach, Congressman Brian Bilbray
- Hayden Thomas, Humboldt State University, Congressman Jim Costa
- Jeremy Villanueva, CSU Bakersfield, Congressman Jeff Denham
Please contact us for more information.