Practicum

The internship or practicum portion of the M.A. in American Government Program offers students the unique opportunity to experience Washington at work. Students are required to work during the spring semester for 20 hours per week, and during the summer (late May through mid-July) for 30 hours per week.

The Practicum Director works with each student individually and provides guidance and assistance in finding and securing a meaningful placement in an organization that is relevant to the study of American Government.

Relevant practicum could be within the executive branch, on Capitol Hill, in non-profit organizations or interest groups, in media organizations, in political consulting firms, etc. Placement is driven by the student’s interests and the availability of a position in the desired organization. See Past Placements for examples of where our students have worked.

There are limited appointments for students to be paid for their internship, but compensation should not be the driving force behind pursuing a particular placement. The experience and the enrichment offered by most internships, as well as the contacts students make during their work in Washington often provides tangible benefits (e.g., securing permanent employment).

Class of 2019 Practicum Placements

Alexis Antonino, US Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Budget
Dana Barry, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform
Bailey Bishop, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Fasharra Branagan, Lake Research Partners
Dennis Kondratyev, Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Stephanie Obieroma, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Defense Continuity and Mission Assurance Branch
Frances Patano, Office of Management and Budget, Budget Review Division
Jack Rosen, Seven Twenty Strategies
Alexander Walker, Seven Twenty Strategies
Yang You, Greater Washington Partnership

Class of 2018 Practicum Placements

Alexandra Ashcraft, Department of Defense, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Policy
Auburn Bell, U.S. House of Representatives, Office of Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL)
Jonathan Brodo, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health
Joseph Cifrino, Hilltop Public Solutions
Kaitlin Errickson, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Quentin Hoffman, US Department of Education, Office of Communications and Outreach
Casey Nolan, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, Georgetown University
Nicholas Riebel, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund
Jack Schaefer, US Office of Management and Budget, Education, Income Maintenance, and Labor Programs
Thierry Tchenko, US Office of Management and Budget, Budget Review Division

Class of 2017 Practicum Placements

Daniel Block, US Office of Management and Budget, Budget Review Division
Krista Douvlos, Youth Service America (Youth Engagement non-profit)
Jonathan Fazzino, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform
David Gonzalez, Data Quality Campaign (Education Policy non-profit)
Nicholas Kayler, Alcade & Fay, Government and Public Affairs Consultants
Ryan Kearns, US Department of Homeland Security, Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis
Andrew Pecoraro, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs

Internship Supervisor Quotes on the Program

“Our Interns were spectacular. The students quickly became team members in every respect. When urgent tasks drove us to impossible hours they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our seasoned veterans. Eager to learn, their enthusiasm was infectious and their unique perspective encouraged fresh approaches to nagging problems.”

Deputy Director, General, Flag, & Officer Management
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness

“The FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning derives substantial benefits from our student interns, and we like to think that the feeling among interns is mutual. Our interns get an inside look at the policy research and development process, and their work makes a tangible contribution. And the learning process is a two-way street. They learn how a regulatory agency operates, but their experience, particularly as users of cutting edge media and telecom devices and services, often informs our perspective as policy analysts.”

Deputy Chief Economist
Federal Communications Commission.

“Thanks for recommending my branch to your Masters program students. It has been great to have such a resource for eight months who can potentially apply for full-time employment upon graduation with ‘corporate experience’ in hand.”

Branch Chief
Office of Management and Budget
Executive Office of the President

Alumni Quotes on the Practicum Experience

“The MA program allowed me to become involved in government immediately, and helped me decide what I really wanted to do with my career.”

“My internship led directly to a full-time job offer, which I never would have gotten without this program.”

“The Georgetown program gave me opportunities to begin working in federal government positions that I couldn’t find elsewhere.”

“Georgetown’s program introduced and integrated me into DC’s political culture, and has opened up a lot of doors for my future job prospects.”

“For students who are interested in transitioning their masters into the professional sphere, the internship component of this program allows them to develop direct insight into a potential career path. The program’s coordinator, who has years of experience in the public sector, works directly with students to explore different internship options. As a whole, this program offers a well-rounded education in American government.”

“The MA in AG program’s emphasis on both the theory and practice of American government provides students with skills that they can easily transfer from the classroom to the workplace. The opportunity to gain real-world experience through the practicum component of the program is particularly valuable. I came into the program knowing that I was interested in legislative affairs, but it was the opportunity to do my practicum with a congressional committee that solidified my interest and framed my job search. It was also an experience that stood out to potential employers. The practicum allowed me to develop firsthand knowledge about the committee process and exposed me to the Capitol Hill culture. This background has served me well as a legislative assistant at a nonprofit advocacy organization, and now as a congressional affairs specialist at the Food and Drug Administration, where I work with congressional staff on a daily basis.”

“The Master of Arts in American Government program was crucial in helping me obtain my current job. I did my practicum placement at the Pew Charitable Trusts, which I secured through the network of the practicum coordinator, Lynn Ross. The placement, where I worked on federal budget issues and the fiscal relationship between the federal and state governments, gave me great experience and was very relevant to what I was studying at Georgetown. It was also a great opportunity to network with some of DC’s top public policy thinkers and learn how to thrive at a large, high-performing organization. At the end of the practicum, my supervisor’s recommendation helped me get hired to a different department within Pew, where I still work today. While the American Government program gave me useful subject matter expertise, the most invaluable aspect of the program has been my enhanced critical thinking, analysis, and research skills.”

Past Placements

The American Government Master’s Program places students in advanced internship assignments in accordance with their preferences. They have served with the following organizations:

Alcade-Fay (government relations and public affairs firm)
ABC News Digital Media Group
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Public Policy Advocacy Fellow)
American Gas Association
American Strategy Group (political consulting firm)
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
American Target Advertising (Assistant to the Vice President)
Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute
Association of American Educators
Berenson Strategy Group (Fellow)
Bipartisan Policy Center
Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior
Center for Media and Public Affairs
Cinereach Films (Personal Assistant to Founder)
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Defenders of Wildlife
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
DCI Group (political consulting firm)
Deloitte Consulting (Consultant, Federal Strategy and Operations)
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Department of the Interior (Office of the Secretary)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Embassy of Great Britain (Visits Officer)
Executive Office of the President–OMB Task Force
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Policy Studies
General Electric (Washington Office)
Global Strategy Group
Harris Interactive (political polling and research firm)
Hickman Analytics (Junior Analyst)
Hillary for President
Hilltop Public Solutions
International City/County Management Association
International Climate Change Partnership
McChrystal Group
MSNBC
National Republican Senatorial Committee
National Republican Campaign Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee
U.S. Office of Management and Budget
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Office of the Secretary of Defense
OG Systems (Researcher, DIA History Office)
OMB Watch (non-profit research and advocacy organization)
Penn Quarter Partners
Podesta Group
Strategic Communications, Government Affairs
The American Prospect
Thomas Frank (author)
U.S. Army Budget Office(Financial Management Analyst, Operating Forces Directorate)
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. House of Representatives
Voice of America
Zogby International (political polling and research firm)