Vanessa Garcia is working in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties through Cal State Fullerton's Washington D.C. internship program.

Capitol Experience

29 Students Interning in Washington D.C.

July 20, 2010

By Mimi Ko Cruz

As an intern in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Cal State Fullerton graduate student Vanessa Garcia is producing a manual on how to quickly gather data on various populations any where in the nation to determine how to best serve people during times of disaster.

The manual, Garcia said, will be a step-by-step guide to help federal officials determine what kinds of aid would be needed when such things as devastating earthquakes, hurricanes, oil spills or terrorist attacks strike and affect people with disabilities and people of various religions, races, language abilities and different sexes.

“Right now, it’s extremely difficult and time-consuming to decode census data quickly,” the 25-year-old sociology major said.

If a hurricane affected a community of mostly Vietnamese immigrants who speak no English and the federal government needed to respond quickly, it would help to know the population information in order to respond effectively, she explained.

“In such a case, it might be appropriate to send a translator to help with emergency relief efforts,” she said.

Garcia, who is being paid $6,000 for her two-month internship, is one of 29 Cal State Fullerton students taking part in the university’s Washington D.C. internship program this summer.

“I am gaining a lot of experience here,” said Garcia, who expects to complete her master’s degree in the spring and then pursue a law degree. “I’m learning the importance of technical writing, the value of critical thinking and logic and how to work under pressure.”

Those are a few of the benefits of the internships, said Stephen J. Stambough, associate professor of political science and the D.C. internship program’s director.

The summer program, now in its fifth year, has been described by students as a “life changing” experience, Stambough said. “Many students say it opens their eyes to cultures and opportunities they never considered.”

Most of the participants reside at George Washington University’s dormitories while they work on the Hill and take classes that address contemporary issues in politics and career development.

Including this year’s interns, a total of 150 students have participated in the program. Many past participants have completed or are pursuing law school or other graduate school degree, including Cindia Velasco (B.A. political science ’10) who is taking part in Teach for America while earning her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Some former participants now are working in D.C., including Raisa Orleans (B.A. political science and American studies, ’08), who recently completed her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago and works for Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles); Jeff Vanderslice (B.A. political science ’07), who is working on his master's degree in government at Johns Hopkins University is legislative director for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach); and Ian Keller (B.A. political science ’07) who works for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

“If it were not for this program, I probably would not have interned in D.C. and, consequently, would not have returned the following year to begin a career on the Hill,” Vanderslice said.

This year’s interns include graduate students Garcia, of Lakewood; James Hodgson, of Placentia, who is working at the National Defense University; Elizabeth Marchan, of Santa Ana, who is working for Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove); and Julia Pavel, of Corona, who is interning at the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Hodgson is pursuing his master’s degree in public administration and Marchan and Pavel are pursuing a master’s in political science.

The undergraduate interns, their cities of residence, their majors and the offices where they are working are:

• Melanie Anderson, Fullerton, American studies, Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton)
• Christina Baker, Fullerton, American studies, Imagine One
• William Bishop, Anaheim, political science, Democratic National Committee
• Marisa Cabraloff, Brea, political science, Library of Congress
• Ingvar Corona, South Gate, public administration, U.S. Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
• Cheryhan Elrawi, Corona, political science, The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
• Pokuaa Enin, Alta Loma, criminal justice, National Defense University
• Scott Fahey, Chino, communications, Global Financial Integrity
• Lorenzo Frausto, La Habra, political science, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Daniel Greenberg, Lake Forest, political science, American Jewish Committee
• Nicholas Hartmann, Irvine, philosophy, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona)
• Marvin Hernandez, Los Angeles, political science, Campanella Communications Group
• Kyle Hertzberg, Fountain Valley, business Finance, Environmental Defense Fund
• Rachel Kizito, Granada Hills, political science, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks)
• Kristy Mar, Alhambra, biology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Sabrena McDonald, Fontana, political science, Heads Up
• Narine Mehrabian, Irvine, American studies, American Society of Association Executives
• Maurine Mikhail, Fullerton, political science, Genocide Intervention Network
• Alicia Prescod, Fullerton, communications, Mentors Inc.
• Mariah Robertson, Anaheim, political science, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Pamela Schwartz, Irvine, criminal justice, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Lalisa Stutts, Yorba Linda, biochemistry, The National Academies
• Alexandra Swan, Fullerton, political science, Imagine One
• Bao Tran, Garden Grove, political science, Natural Resource Conservation Service
• Annie Wong, Yorba Linda, public administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture

“This experience is giving me a lot, professionally and personally,” Bishop said. “Coming into the Democratic National Committee headquarters every morning still awes me. I have the privilege of working with skilled and experienced professionals. I get to learn various skills related to fundraising and what it takes to be successful.”

Added Swan: “This is where things happen. I want to be here for my future career in politics. I don't want to leave because I feel like I'm growing so much.”

From left: Daniel Greenberg, Pokuaa Enin, Narineh Mehrabian, Sen. Feinstein (D-Calif.), David Bishop, Kyle Hertzberg and James Hodgson.