The Swearer Center, in partnership with the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, launched the Brown in Washington, D.C. program in January 2017. The first cohort of students completed their time in the program interning in the public and nonprofit sectors, all while completing coursework. We asked this cohort to share what they learned from the semester away.

1. Government is Accessible
"Government is more accessible than I thought: you can interact with your elected officials through Twitter, phone and email; you can make a difference through joining your campaign; and you can be much more in-tune with the policy process by watching C-SPAN, following officials on Twitter and reading primary sources rather than just news stories."

Kai Salem ’18
Concentration: Environmental Studies

2. The Importance of Reconciliation
"Congress needs serious reform. Politicians from both sides of the aisle need to learn to reconcile differences and work together if we want to solve the critical problems of our time."

Yang Guo ‘18
Concentration: History

3. Capitalizing on Shared Interests
"Negotiations of any kind tend to be most productive if you avoid positional bargaining and instead focus on shared interests."

Victor Brechenmacher ‘18
Concentration: Political Science

4. Diverse Perspectives
"I learned different perspectives on politics and social issues by going to events and hearing from diverse speakers."

Marjorie Pang ‘18
Concentration: Public Policy and Economics

5. Navigating the Senate
“I’ve learned about the ins and outs of moving around the Senate and proper etiquette.”

Jesse Beller ’18
Concentration: History

6. Gratitude
"I’ve established a deep appreciation for public servants.”

Kara Roanhorse ‘18
Concentration: Ethnic Studies & Public Policy