Hollenbeck Experiences DC Through Prestigious Internship
Although many 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś students will have internships this summer, Claire Hollenbeck says hers is a true gem. āI think itās one of the coolest internships out there,ā she confided.
Hollenbeck, who expects to graduate with a bachelorās degree in Political Science next May, will spend eight weeks this summer in Washington, D.C., as the John Paul Hammerschmidt Research Fellow for Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers.
āIām really learning a lot,ā Hollenbeck said. āIāll do typical intern work like answering phones and opening mail, constituent service. But Iāll also have a chance to attend hearings and meetings and do legislative research.ā
The fellowship is a joint project between the District 3 congressmanās office and the 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś ā Fort Smith. Hammerschmidt held the Third District seat from 1967 through 1991. He died in Springdale in 2015.
Students who receive the fellowship also receive a scholarship for three credit hours and are required to complete a research report and a record of their experience. They also receive a stipend to help defray the costs of their time in the nationās capital.
Hollenbeck said she will be staying in Washington Intern Student Housing. Although she doesnāt know anyone else who will be working for Womack, as a member of the 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś sorority Delta Gamma, sheās been in contact with other young people who will be working in Washington this summer.
She was chosen to have the fellowship in summer 2020, but her service was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though her service this year will be in person, there are still precautions in effect that will impact her time in D.C.
āUsually, fellows conduct tours of the Capitol, but thatās on hold because of the virus,ā she said. She keeps up with Washingtonās reopening plans, and she hopes she will have a chance to experience more key places as the summer advances.
Though full tours are still closed, she made her way to the Speakerās Balcony, where she was photographed for her internship and has met several members of congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who thanked Hollenbeck and her fellow interns for their service to their country.
āThis place is so, so cool,ā she beamed.
The application process included submitting an essay and two letters of recommendation, and being interviewed by the chancellorās office and Womackās deputy chief of staff and intern coordinator. Dr. Williams Yamkam, assistant professor of Political Science, will direct the academic side of Hollenbeckās fellowship.
Hollenbeck said several of her activities at 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś helped prepare her for the fellowship. She had the Chancellorās Leadership Council scholarship ā mostly because associate registrar Megan Bowling-Fudge nagged her into applying for it. She participated in Delta Gamma activities. But what taught her the most about leadership was her time in the Student Government Association.
āI was SGA president last year, and I had to lead most of my meetings online,ā she said. āIn the spring, we switched to hybrid, and that was another whole thing. We passed nine resolutions, and I led a student forum with more than 100 students, the chancellor, and senior staff. Iām going to miss it next year.ā
Hollenbeckās final year at 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś will include being the vice president of membership for Delta Gamma, and sheās already planning recruitment activities. She also will participate in Mentor Connections, the 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś program that provides mentoring experiences for teams consisting of a student, a recent graduate, and an experienced business or political leader.
Somehow sheās also going to find time to research and apply to graduate schools. She has some schools in mind, but sheās waiting to see how the summer goes.
āI love 91ĄĻĖ¾»ś,ā she said. āI think Iād like to work in higher education; Iād love to come back here after I get my masterās degree.ā
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