D.C. Bound

CSUF Students Work and Study in Nation's Capital

July 1, 2008

By Valerie Orleans

Raphael J. Sonenshein, chair of the division and professor of political science, meets with Phillip Norton, an intern at the Public Policy Forum Institute, and alumnus Jeff Vanderslice, legislative aide to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher.

"I didn't realize how valuable the Washington, D.C., internship program was until AFTER I took part in it. It was very encouraging to see how many other people supported my internship by donating funding or providing support," said alumnus Jeff Vanderslice (B.A. political science '07), a member of the inaugural group of Cal State Fullerton students who participated in the university's first D.C. internship program in 2006.

Vanderslice turned his summer internship — in U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's office — into a full-time job as a legislative aide after his graduation.

Other interns have had the same experience. If not job offers, they believe that this experience led them to other opportunities, whether it was working for elected officials, lobbying groups or getting accepted into prestigious graduate programs.

And it all started with Margaret McCarthy. A 1984 alumna, McCarthy remembered her "Sac Semester" while studying political science and public administration at Cal State Fullerton. She had the opportunity to study and work in the state capital through a CSU-sponsored program. "I worked for then-Governor George Deukmejian," she recalled. "When I graduated, I had a chance to go work in D.C.."

Intern Nabila Bolisay, third from left, meets with alums Loren Hurst and Jeff Vanderslice, and Valerie R. O’Regan, assistant professor of political science.

While working in D.C., McCarthy noticed that interns from other schools were prevalent in the capital but she rarely saw students from Cal State Fullerton.

"For someone like me, who hadn't traveled much, having the opportunity to work in Sacramento and D.C. were amazing experiences," she said. "My husband, Michael Potter (a Sacramento State alumnus), and I decided to give those same opportunities to students from both of our alma maters. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of helping to send students to study and work in Washington, D.C.."

Program Launch

"The first year, we had 19 students — 18 from Fullerton and one from Sonoma State," said Stephen J. Stambough, associate professor of political science and director of the CSUF-D.C. program. "This summer, we have 40 students — 36 from Fullerton and the rest from other CSU campuses."

This is Stambough's third year running the program. For 10 weeks this summer students participate in internships and attend class at night. This year's class is "Practicing Politics," a course that focuses on current issues in politics and crime and will feature guest speakers from the D.C. area, such as Lauren Smith, the communications director for Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Corinna Farrell of the Death Penalty Information Center.

"While the majority of our students are majoring in political science, we also have students majoring in American studies, philosophy and business," said Stambough.

"The highlights of my experience so far have been meeting Senator Barbara Boxer and being on the floor of the Senate as they're debating legislation," said 2008 intern Javier Gamboa. "I worked in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Senator Boxer, and I was able to learn about some of the issues that affect ordinary Americans.

Cal State Fullerton-D.C. intern Nabila Bolisay meets with Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Bolisay is interning in Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office, working on defense and foreign relations issues.

"D.C. is a great city," Gamboa continued. "It's full of energetic people and there is always something new to learn. This internship is everything I thought it would be and more. I definitely want to return here in the near future."

What CSU students discover when they arrive for a summer of study and work, is that D.C. is quite different than "the OC."

"I love the energy in D.C. and the fact that something is always happening," said Vanderslice. "For someone with a degree in political science, it's great because you're right in the midst of all this work."

Alumni Support

Others have noticed that since the program was launched, it has revitalized Cal State Fullerton alums living in the D.C. area.

"The mobilization of alumni has been amazing," said Vanderslice. "Ever since the program started, people have been willing to network and help in any way they can. It's great to see alums reconnect with the university."

That help includes funding and support, as well as arranging for students to serve internships in a variety of fields. This year's interns work in congressional offices, on congressional committees (including the very difficult-to-obtain Senate Foreign Relations Committee), in lobbying firms, public relations and campaign firms, issue advocacy groups, National Geographic and the Holocaust Museum.

In addition, this year's group will visit Gettysburg, courtesy of alumnus Dave England, who works with Imagine One, a technology and management consulting firm.

Students participating in the Cal State Fullerton-D.C. Summer Internship program gather at Gettysburg during a field trip with Stephen J. Stambough, associate professor of political science and program director, fourth row at right; and alumnus Dave England, in white baseball cap, who led the tour.

"Over the years, I have discovered that if you give students an opportunity, it opens doors for them down the line," said McCarthy. "When I was a student, I had those kinds of opportunities, so I'd like to be able to provide that kind of support to students at Cal State Fullerton."

Supporting the Program

If you would like to support the Cal State Fullerton-Washington, D.C. Summer Internship program, please contact Joan Rubio, Director of Development for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, at 714-278-5773 or jrubio@fullerton.edu. For more information about the program itself, visit the website at http://hss.fullerton.edu/polisci/wip.