Student, alumnae walk corridors of power in D.C.

As summer approaches, many students are doing their best to find internships around the City of Los Angeles or closer to home. However, three USC graduates and one current student set their sights further, working as part of the Obama Administration during internships this semester.

Alex Glazer and Lucy Moore graduated in December 2015 and are completing a White House internship before pursuing graduate school. Glazer and Moore both majored in political science. Another recent graduate, Linda Wang, and Christina Wilkes, a current junior majoring in communication and political science, also were selected for the internship program.

Both Glazer and Moore obtained the White House internships through online applications posted on the White House Internship Program’s website. Glazer has previously held internships in other levels of government, but did not expect to be given the chance to work in the White House with the Obama Administration.

“This has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience to not only intern in the executive branch, but to intern for a president who I deeply admire,” Glazer said in an email to the Daily Trojan. “I vividly remember watching then-Sen. Obama give his victory speech on election night in November 2008 when I was just a freshman in high school. I never imagined that seven years later I would have the privilege of interning in his administration during his last year in office.”

Moore also worked in a political setting during her time at USC, and hoped for an opportunity to work in the field of public service at this level.

“Throughout high school, and while I was at USC, I had a number of political internships but always had the White House in the back of my mind for the future,” Moore said in an email to the Daily Trojan. “As someone who is interested in pursuing a career in public service, there is no better experience, and it was always my dream. Having the opportunity to intern for the Obama Administration, which has made great progress on many of the issues I care most about, is a huge privilege.”

Glazer is interning in the Office of Presidential Correspondence, one of the oldest and largest offices in the White House.  The office is responsible for all correspondence with the President, and President Obama has requested ten letters from the public each day to gauge how his policies affect people.

Moore is interning in the National Economic Council, which is a forum on economic issues utilized by the President himself.

“I help with research, scheduling requests, administrative support and meeting coordination. I also work closely with staff doing in-depth research and logistics,” Moore said. “Working in such a fast-paced and dynamic environment, I have had to learn how to manage my time and prioritize the most important things, even more than I had to in college. That is a really important skill that I will carry with me throughout my career.”

Glazer’s future plans include a law degree and possibly a career in political communication. Moore plans to stay in the Capitol, and pursue public policy issues, especially those which concern women.

“I think I will likely still be in the D.C. area, working in the public policy realm, but whether that’s in the federal government or elsewhere, I’m not sure.” Moore said. “I’m really passionate about working on policy that expands women’s access to economic opportunities, so hopefully I can find a way to work that into my career.”