Internships have led Saint Joseph’s College students to a number of fascinating places this summer, and for Raymond Mosca of Augusta, Maine that led him to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Erin Seavoy, Manager of College and University Relations at The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, explained, “Ray applied to The Washington Center. Once he was accepted into our Academic Internship Program he began working one-on-one with an internship advisor to apply to various internship sites around D.C. After interviewing, he was offered a position with the Congressman Bruce Poliquin’s (R-ME) office. His internship ran for nine weeks, from the end of May until the beginning of August. He worked full time Monday through Thursday and on Fridays he participated in professional development programing.”
Ray shared how this experience confirmed his desire to serve the public in the following blog post:
“This summer, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill. Working for Congressman Bruce Poliquin of Maine, I answered phone calls from constituents, conducted legislative research, and even led tours of the U.S. Capitol Building. This internship 
experience was extremely transformative both personally and professionally.
“Before I arrived in Washington, I thought I had a very sound understanding of the legislative process. From taking multiple political science classes on American government at school, I had already developed a firm grasp of the fundamentals of Congress before I started my internship. However, there are certain details and levels of complexity that can only be learned from watching the process take place firsthand.
“Over the course of the summer, my leadership skills have developed significantly. Bruce Poliquin’s leadership style has made a significant impression on me. After getting to know the congressman for the last two months, I can honestly say that he is one of the most compassionate, genuine, and approachable individuals that I have ever met. He genuinely cares about his constituents and fights for them every day in Washington. =
“One of the strongest examples of leadership that I have ever witnessed was how Congressman Poliquin responded to the shooting at the congressional baseball practice in June. After the news broke about what had occurred in Alexandria, the congressman gathered all of his staff together in his office, and delivered a strong but heartfelt message. Despite the events of the day, he said, we must show the people of Maine that we are here to stay, and that we’re open for business.
“Watching Congressman Poliquin as a leader has confirmed my own desire to run for public office, and use my platform to make a difference in the lives of Mainers. I am thoroughly thankful to have worked for such a great man on Capitol Hill this summer.”
You can read more of Ray’s blog posts at:
http://www.twc.edu/twcnow/blogs/student/14111
Learn more about our Political Science program at:
https://www.sjcme.edu/academics/programs/ba-political-science/oncampus/
Related story:
“Rethinking Politics as Critically Engaged Citizenship” by Political Science faculty Mark Hibben, PhD
https://www.sjcme.edu/about-us/magazine/winter-2016-17/beyond-partisanship/
