Jocelyn White Martin '75 Endowed Internship and Fellowship Fund

This summer, I interned with Westchester County Executive Kenneth Jenkins, an experience that gave me a closer look at how local government works and the many ways it impacts people’s lives.

One of the most meaningful parts of my internship was leading Park and Read, a program that brought local politicians into parks to read with kids, many from underserved communities. It was a great way to combine literacy, community, and civic engagement in a fun setting.

In the summer of 2025, I spent 9 weeks interning with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Washington, D.C. I worked on the Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development task force, where I assisted staff with research, writing, and policy development.

During the summer of 2025, I spent 13 weeks working as a Congressional Intern in the Office of Representative Joseph Morelle. Congressman Morelle represents the 25th district of NY, which is my home district. The greatest honor of the internship was the ability to represent my home district while in D.C., working to find solutions to local and national issues. 

This summer I had the opportunity of working with the Partnerships Department at Concordia. As part of my responsibilities I supported Concordia's outreach efforts by identifying potential partners & sponsors with a special focus on Latin America; carried out background checks on new partnerships and participated in onboarding calls; drafted membership and partnership proposals; and completed special projects focused on the further development of our existent partnerships.

During my internship in Congressman Warren Davidson’s office, I had the opportunity to work on legislation I’m passionate about, particularly in fiscal responsibility and American manufacturing. This experience not only provided valuable insight into how a congressional office functions, from constituent services to policy research and legislative development, but also helped me develop a deeper understanding of the importance of networking on Capitol Hill.

This summer, I interned at the St. Lawrence County Public Defender’s Office in Canton, NY. In this role, I shadowed multiple attorneys in various courts, expanding my understanding of the justice system and observing both defendant behaviors and attorneys’ strategies. During these fifteen weeks, I had the opportunity to work with the public to understand ways of helping them with their situations and to better understand the challenges they face, along with the challenges attorneys face while trying to help them. 

During my time with the United States Department of Energy, I have assisted with the administrative side of things within the office that I work with. I have conducted logistics for meetings weekly and monthly with several hundred invited participants of which there are about 100-200 regular attendees. I often have served as the point of contact between the office and various other colleagues from across the DOE enterprise. First and foremost from all of this is the connections that I have made, and the experience that I have gained thus far through this internship.

I completed my summer internship with Majority Leader Charles Schumer's Syracuse office. This allowed me to gain new knowledge of the workings of the U.S. Senate and the daily responsibilities of the office. This experience gave me the opportunity to gain real-world work experience in the government and law field.

This internship was an incredible experience that provided me with more than I was expecting. By having first-hand experiences, whether it was viewing a crime scene, taking a visit to the jail, obtaining records, or writing up documents for the court, you were never bored. I also got to experience court hearings, and attend trials when applicable. While the experience itself was inspiring, so were the people. Throughout my internship I developed relationships with my co-workers that made work even more enjoyable.

Poppy Hanson '25, a Government and Business in the Liberal Arts major at St. Lawrence University, applied her academic expertise in a practical setting this past summer as a legislative intern for Honorable Representative Rosa L. DeLauro, who represents Connecticut's third district. In this role, Poppy facilitated over 350 diverse constituent cases, addressing issues related to Social Security, immigration, taxes, Veterans Affairs, and housing. She worked closely with a team of full-time staffers and caseworkers to ensure constituents received effective support and achieved their goals.

Many people throughout their lives visit museums out of curiosity or to find enjoyment in the prospect of learning. However, there are many moving pieces that are required behind-the-scenes to ensure an educational and informative experience. This “behind-the-scenes" work is what I was able to experience this summer. I was an Archaeological Collections Intern at the Annex of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH).

This internship provided an amazing opportunity for experiential learning, networking opportunities, and personal and professional growth. As a Legislative Intern in the U.S. Senate working on Capitol Hill, I got the chance to lead Capitol tours, work New Hampshire events, correspond with New Hampshire constituents, oversee social media platforms, and assist with legislative projects. I also got to draft memos, constituent letters, and press releases. Finally, I had the chance to attend congressional lectures, hearings, and briefings.

ACG Advocacy is one of Washington, D.C.'s premier consulting and government affairs firm. As a summer intern, I worked closely with the research associates to complete tasks for senior partners and their clients. Some of these tasks included briefing congressional hearings and markups, conducting research on legislation, and taking notes at meetings on Capitol Hill. One client that I worked particularly closely with was the League of Women Voters. Through working with the LWVUS, I was able to build upon my networking skills and enhance my writing skills.