LEARNING THE ROPES: UH, TSU STUDENTS HEAD
TO D.C.
FOR LELAND CONGRESSIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Reading about public policy in a textbook isn’t enough for
Yadira Castellanos, a senior in political science and Spanish at
the University of Houston.
“Knowledge without application is sometimes easily forgotten,”
said Castellanos. “I am excited about the opportunity to touch
and feel the process in the heart of our nation’s capital.”
This spring, she joins five other students from UH and Texas Southern
University as participants in the Mickey Leland Congressional Internship
Program in Washington, D.C. The program was founded by the late
congressman to give Houston-area students an opportunity to work
in national politics. Today, the program is open to upper level
students from the two universities. It is administered by UH’s
Center for Public Policy (CPP).
“Internships are becoming as necessary as the attainment
of a degree in jump-starting careers,” said Renée Cross,
associate director of the CPP and director of the Leland Program.
“Amit Patel, a 2004 Leland intern, snared a position with
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman right after he completed his DC internship.
As incredibly bright and talented as Amit is, it would have been
difficult for him to get such a position without the experience
he received working as a government intern in both Washington and
Houston.”
A reception will honor the 2005 Leland interns Wednesday, Jan.
19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University Hilton, 4800 Calhoun. Media
are invited to attend.
The Leland interns and their university affiliation are Yadira
Castellanos (UH), Kevin Dancy (TSU), Dorian Jones (TSU), Nathalie
Le (UH), Cynthia Lucero (UH) and Adrianne Thomas (UH).
Since its inception in 1981, the Mickey Leland Congressional Internship
Program has placed nearly 200 students from TSU and UH as interns
in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. In addition
to the program’s practical training, the program includes
a strong academic component through weekly seminars led by a Washington-based
instructor. Interns earn 9-15 credit hours upon the completion of
the program requirements.
Major sponsors of the program include UH, Houston Endowment, Continental
Airlines and the Center for Public Policy.
WHAT: |
Reception honoring the 2005 Mickey Leland Congressional Interns |
WHEN: |
6 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 |
WHERE: |
Waldorf Astoria Room, University Hilton, 4800 Calhoun |
For more information about UH visit the universitys Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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