CAPITOL NOTES: WHITE HOUSE INTERN RETURNS
TO UH FOR CLASSES
Tyler Nelson Spent Spring Semester Working in Vice President Dick
Cheney’s Office
HOUSTON, July 12, 2006 – One University of Houston student
spent his spring semester working for the second most powerful man
in the United States.
Tyler Nelson, a junior in political science and economics, had
the opportunity to work in Vice President Dick Cheney’s office
as a White House intern. Approximately 100 undergraduate and graduate
students are selected nation-wide for the highly coveted White House
internship positions. Nelson is the sole UH student to make the
cut in at least the last decade, according to Renée Cross,
associate director of the UH Center for Public Policy, and Nelson’s
instructor.
On a whim, Nelson applied to the program the day before the application
deadline. He was asked to list his five preferences of where he
wanted to work. Nelson decided to shoot for the top and chose one
of the most selective positions – in the office of the vice
president.
“The best part about the internship was interacting with
Vice President Cheney,” Nelson said. “He took a personal
interest in interns, because he was once an intern on the Hill.
Despite his hectic schedule, he went out of his way to thank us
for our work.”
The intern worked closely with the Advance, Political Affairs
and Internal Affairs teams. Among his many responsibilities, he
read, edited and distributed unclassified documents; researched
information for speeches; and helped assemble briefing books.
In the thick of it all, Nelson once rode up the elevator with Fox
News White House Correspondent Brit Hume. The reporter was en route
to his exclusive interview with Cheney following the infamous hunting
accident in February. The interview took place next door to Nelson’s
work area.
In addition, he and the other White House interns attended weekly
lectures, volunteered at special events and participated in tours.
“Tyler Nelson is the epitome of what we hope to see in a
future public servant,” Cross said. “He’s bright
and energetic with a tremendous work ethic. Perhaps most importantly,
he sincerely cares about people and how public policy affects them.
I predict great things for Tyler politically, and look forward to
the day when he represents Houston in a formal leadership role.”
Prior to his White House internship, Nelson was an intern in U.S.
Congressman Tom DeLay’s office in Washington, D.C., where
he worked primarily in constituent relations.
His interest in politics started with his mission through the
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From 2001-03, he
volunteered in Veracruz, Mexico.
“My mission taught me more about life than even my time
on Capitol Hill,” Nelson said. “Seeing how the poor
lived inspired me to change things. It whetted my appetite for public
service. That’s when I started writing for my university’s
newspaper, The Daily Cougar. Then one of my professors recommended
me for the internship with Congressman DeLay, and that’s when
everything was set in motion.”
Nelson hopes to attend law or graduate school in the D.C. area
upon his graduation from UH in May 2007.
For more information about the White House Internship Program,
go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research
and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers
and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate,
civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university
in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and
service with more than 35,000 students.
For more information about UH visit the universitys Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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