Welcome to You, Me, and D.C., Jonah Jackson's weekly blog about his experience being a summer intern for BRAVO! We love our intern blogs and hope you enjoy following Jonah.
Words from the capital: An Intern’s Guide to Politics
Disclaimer: the following may not be as politically exhaustive or groundbreaking as the title may lead you to believe, but it will be
pleasantly insightful and hopefully entertaining nonetheless!
Where to begin? Let’s go with politics. For the past four years I have had the pleasure of studying political science with a concentration in international relations at Mercyhurst University. Noo… not Mercer, but Mercyhurst aka the home of the Sisters of Mercy.
As would be expected, spending the summer in DC is a dream come true. Every conversation is centered on politics – international organizations, Congress, democracy, campaigning, foreign governments, law. I could go on forever, but I think you get the point: I love politics.
Imagine my excitement when I was offered an internship position at BRAVO!, which is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood! But with great opportunity comes great responsibility (see what I did there?).
Choosing to intern at BRAVO! was a no-brainer. As a BRAVO! Boy, not only would I physically be at the epicenter of politics, but I would have the opportunity to network with public and private sector leaders, ambitious interns, and other professionals as BRAVO! works with various companies and organizations from across industries to create live experiences that support their clients’ strategic communications goals.
But there is a political experience to be had no matter the industry. So to all my fellow interns in the District, I hope you love politics as much as I do. It doesn’t matter if you are working in a bank, park services, nonprofits, real estate, a live experience firm, or finance in the district – it is all politics!
Here is my guide on how I plan to make the most of my political summer in Washington:
[if !supportLists]1. [endif]Read the Washington Post or some other news source(s) daily. I have already set up my phone to get notifications from NPR, CNN, and the Post. WARNING: something is always happening. This may not be for everyone, but being informed about pressing issues on the Hill, around the nation, and around the world is essential to taking part in conversations that may come up.
[if !supportLists]2. [endif]Network, Network, Network, Network…….oh yeah I forgot one…..NETWORK! My LinkedIn is locked and loaded and business cards on their way. The District is filled of interesting, accomplished, and well-connected people.
[if !supportLists]3. [endif]If it is free, do it! D.C. is one of the only major cities to have numerous free museums, but there are also festivals, parades, performances, and meet and greets. Do it all!
I hope this guide is at least somewhat helpful. If you have a burning question you would like to ask me about BRAVO! or my time in D.C. throw me a line: Jonah@aboutbravo.com.
Unit next time this is your favorite BRAVO! Boy signing off. Be sure to check back next week because for the next 9 weeks it is just you, me, and D.C.!
-J.