My Washington Experience
Kyle
Experience Information
Employer: The Chwat Group
Job Title: Research Assistant
Major: Political Science
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: No
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
The company that I worked for was a small government relations firm in Alexandria, VA. Our clients included private companies as well as non-profit organizations with various interests and backgrounds. My supervisor, Mr. John Chwat, has been in government relations for many years and is seasoned in the world of Washington politics.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
Many of my tasks were research oriented and were designed to obtain information for our clients in order for them to plan accordingly compared to the information I gathered. In many instances, the research that I would do and write about would go out in memos directly to the clients, which made me really feel like I was making an impact for the company and not just another intern.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Mainly, I was able to translate the research abilities that I honed in my undergraduate work and applied that to a real-life job experience. Many of the methods I would use to research for papers and proposals in school were the same methods I would use to find information for our clients. Also, I was able to learn how exactly lobbying affects national politics and how lobbying can either help to move or obstruct legislation.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of my experience involved the combination of our company's outreach and my research that resulted in a meeting between the legislative aides of Senator Orrin Hatch and our company. My supervisor decided to have me tag along for this meeting, and I actually was able to personally experience what happens behind the scenes in Washington that makes or breaks legislation. I am so thankful that I was able to attend that meeting.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This experience has opened my eyes to a whole new career path that I could possibly explore. I didn't really know how lobbying worked in a practical sense, and overall my view of lobbying was negative. Even though I still believe that certain areas of lobbying have too much influence in our government, there are instances that lobbying can be used as a force for good. I would definitely consider lobbying in my future endeavors, but probably leaning more toward state-level politics.