Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program
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A Guide to Networking

One of the greatest parts about this internship is meeting people. Networking comes easier to some than others, so here is a guide on how to network from a fellow intern who used to have a hard time with it. 

How to Network:

1. Be Social: The first step in networking is to get out of your comfort zone and talk to people. It is a good idea to have a few ice-breaker questions lined up in your head beforehand. 

2. Be Sincere: Whatever you are saying, make sure you mean it. You never know when someone you just met will remember what you said later in life, so whatever you say, make sure you are sincere with yourself and them. 

3. Be Humble: Sometimes, it’s easy to get too comfortable with someone you are networking with, which may come off as rude; remember to be humble. 

4. Be Committed: When you network with people, make sure that they know you are committed. Make sure they feel like giving you their time is worth the investment. 

5. Be Sure to Follow Up: If you want someone to remember your conversation, follow up with an email or text and thank them for their time.

Niko Nemanic
Office of Congressman August Pfluger
Summer 2022 | Washington, D.C.

Making the Most of Your Time

Before my internship, I had never been to D.C. I wanted to ensure that I made the most out of my time here, so I made a checklist of things I wanted to do and see. At first, it seemed daunting. How would I ever be able to go to all the museums and see all of the things that I had hoped for when I am working full time? Here is some advice for those who want to explore as much as possible. 

  1. Wake up early!

The best way to make the most of your time is to do as much as possible on the weekends. While it is tempting to sleep in on your days off, starting earlier gives you more time to visit museums and other places before they close. Most museums are open from 9 to 5. 

      2. Make a list!

While I am not a type A person who enjoys planning every detail out, I think this is the best way to tackle your D.C. bucket list. Each week, I try to figure out what I want to do each evening. On the weekends, I have a more planned-out itinerary detailing all of the activities I want to do. 

     3. Hang out with friends!

A lot of people want to indulge in the history and culture of D.C., so ask a roommate or friend to join you on adventures. You can make lifelong memories and better develop your friendships through these activities. 

Katelyn Klawinsky
Office of Congressman Jake Ellzey
Summer 2022 | Washington, D.C.

Nature in Washington, D.C.

Are you an outdoors lover who’s on the fence about moving to the city? This post is for you! As someone who was in your shoes, I’m here to share my tips for how to get out in nature while you’re in D.C.

What do you think about when someone mentions Washington, D.C.? Probably not the great outdoors. I know I didn’t, and I certainly didn’t expect to see a nature trail here either. I love spending time in nature, so before I arrived, I mentally braced for Mount Vernon to be the closest I got to that (on an unrelated note, I do highly recommend visiting Mount Vernon – best view of the Potomac you’ll find). Consider this post a short guide to some of the best ways to experience nature while in D.C.

My absolute favorite is Great Falls National Park (pictured). It is in McLean, Virginia, just 15 miles outside of town. It’s only accessible via car, unfortunately, but it’s absolutely worth it. I hiked almost 7 miles while I was there and still didn’t cover all the trails. There’s a lot of variety in the types of trails too – outdoor junkies like me would love the River Trail, where there are a lot of places to do some rock climbing. The view of the falls is close to the entrance and is ADA accessible so that everyone can enjoy it. Connected to the north side of the park is Riverbend State Park, which features similar trails along the river.

Another cool way to get outside is to rent the Capital Bikeshare bikes and bike the Potomac! I did an hour and a half ride, and it only cost $5.70 – easily one of the cheapest things to do in the city. Plus, you get to decide where you want to go, and there are racks all over the city to return the bikes to, so you can tailor your trip.

If you are on the fence about going to the city just because of the lack of nature, don’t worry! There are plenty more options outside of these to get you out there. Where will you go next?

Erin Kavanagh
Office of Congressman Kevin Brady
Summer 2022 | Washington, D.C.

The Secret to Looking Like a Local

A new place, new people, and new experiences come with moving to a new city. Being in practically the most famous city in the United States for ten weeks is just as exciting as it seems. But are we considered ‘locals’ now? We are not just visiting… but we’re also only living here for ten weeks out of the entire year. So what does that make the 24 transplanted Aggies residing in Washington, D.C., this summer? Locals, or just more (thankfully not eighth grade) tourists trying to do and see everything before leaving again?

It’s not -that- hard.

I mean, come on, I know I’m not the only one who puts on my business casual outfit I bought only weeks (okay maybe days) before moving here and feels like I’m on top of the world and so much more ~local~ than those lost tourists (who I looked exactly like two weeks prior) trying to figure out the metro system (of which I still get lost on). 

Of course, you have to find all the hidden gems and be able to talk about them with your coworkers, or maybe just to impress another lost tourist when they ask for dinner recommendations. 

And absolutely avoid Georgetown (so no cupcakes?), find out how to get to Old Town (wherever that is), and find your favorite local (no Dutch Bros?) coffee shop to visit at least twice a week because this town runs on caffeine.

Finally, the Secret.

Being a local means you’re supposed to be able to get around without Google maps helping you out, right? Absolutely not, unless you want your 20-minute commute home to turn into a 2-hour commute after getting on the wrong metro. But, besides the point, D.C. is such a wonderful city and unlike anywhere I have ever been, let alone lived. The secret to ‘looking like a local’ is actually to not act like one. It’s important to embrace the tourist attractions, overpriced cupcakes, and swarms of eighth graders that seem to be around every corner. Without all of those, you truly would not get to experience the city in the way it is meant to be explored.

Grace Bennett
American Farm Bureau Federation
Summer 2022 | Washington, D.C.

Environmental Conservation and Restoration in the D.C. Area

If you are looking for an exciting weekend activity or an opportunity to network, volunteering in the D.C. area is a great way to achieve that. During my internship, I participated in a habitat restoration effort at Kingman Island and Dawson Terrance Park hosted by the D.C. Master Naturalist Program and the Society of Conversation Biology. During these events, we removed invasive vegetation to promote and protect native wildlife.

Removing invasive species is important for environmental restoration because they can degrade native habitats and compete with the wildlife for food, water, shelter, and space. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) invasive species cause “more than 100 billion dollars in damage each year to the U.S. economy. Costly effects include crop decimation, clogging of water facilities and waterways, wildlife and human disease transmission, threats to fisheries, increased fire vulnerability, and adverse effects for ranchers and farmers” (USGS, 2022).

In order to mitigate these consequences, we worked to remove the following species:

Bush Honeysuckle

Bush honeysuckle is native to Eurasia but is widely planted as an ornamental shrub in the United States. It can easily grow out of control and rapidly spread. If exposed to wild areas, it can inhibit the growth of native trees, shrubs, and ground layer species. It does so by blocking out sunlight, secreting toxic exudates, and depleting the soil of moisture and nutrients. In addition to that, Bush honeysuckle has negative consequences on native birds because the berries have a net-zero nutritional content. When birds consume the berries, they gain no nutrition benefit but are sated. This can lead to decreased chick survival and starvation.

Running Bamboo

Running bamboo is used ornamentally and is native to Asia. It is a highly aggressive and fast-growing plant species. Bamboo can suffocate native vegetation, decrease tree density, damage property and deplete soil nutrients. It is incredibly challenging to control and get rid of once roots have been established.

English Ivy

English ivy is another common ornamental plant and is native to Eurasia. It is a climbing vine that covers and kills trees, cokes ground plants, and creates “ivy deserts” where nothing else can thrive. It promotes mosquito populations by providing an environment where puddles and wet soils can collect. English ivy can also carry and spread Bacterial Leaf Scorch, a plant pathogen detrimental to oaks, elms, and maples.

After these species have been fully removed at each location, native wildflowers, ground cover, and shrubs will take their place in the spring. I found this educational opportunity as a refreshing break from work and a great way to network with wildlife and environmental professionals.

If you are also looking for events that pertain to your field of interest or would like to network over an activity, an easy way to find events is to google search “events near me” or visit the Eventbrite website at: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/dc–washington/events/.

Shawnee Chavez
The Fertilizer Institute
spring 2022 | Washington, D.C.

7 Tips for a Congressional Intern

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an intern on Capitol Hill? Through my time as a Congressional intern, I have picked up a few tips that will help you survive on the Hill.

#7 Dress to Impress

Make sure to dress appropriately. It’s always a good idea to dress business professional at first and just feel out your office. In my office, we dressed business professional when we were in session and business casual on out of session days. We were also allowed to wear nice jeans when we were out of session, but make sure that is appropriate in your office. When in doubt, throw on a blazer to up your look.

#6 Be On-Time

ALWAYS be on time! It looks very unprofessional if you are late to work frequently. In my experience, I was usually the first one at the office and had to wait in the hallway until one of my coworkers got there. It looks much better for you to be early and waiting rather than late and people waiting for you.

#5 Communicate with Your Supervisor

Tying back to my last point, if you are going to be late, make sure you communicate this to your supervisor. Your supervisor is there to make sure you have a successful internship experience, so you need to communicate with them what you hope to gain from your internship and what you hope to accomplish during your internship. Also don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand or need help.

#4 Confidentiality is KEY!

When interning in a Congressional office, you have to keep some information confidential. For example, if you have access to your Congressperson’s schedule, you shouldn’t share that with anyone! What is said in the office, should stay in the office most of the time. Its ok to share stories of your day with your roommates, but just keep certain information to yourself.

#3 Don’t Take Things Personally

This was one of the biggest things I had to learn. If a caller is rude to you, don’t take it personally. They probably aren’t really upset with you, but just with the situation in general. It is also important to know what your office’s protocol is for rude callers. In my office, I was allowed to tell the caller that I was going to put them on hold until they calmed down and most of the time they just hung up after that. If a caller ever makes you feel uncomfortable or starts making threats towards you or your Congressperson, make sure to notify your supervisor.

#2 Be Open to Learning New Things

Don’t close yourself off to opportunities just because you think it might not be interesting to you. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Don’t close yourself off to only one area of interest. Any time someone in your office asks you to help with something, say yes! You have nothing to lose by learning new skills.

#1 Put 110% Into Your Internship

The most important rule is to put your best effort into your internship experience. What you get out of the experience is dependent on what you put into it. Make sure to take every opportunity offered to you and seek out opportunities for yourself! If there is a hearing you want to go to or a meeting you want to attend, just ask! The worst they could say is no. This internship experience opens a world of opportunities to you so make the most of it! You don’t want to leave having any regrets that you didn’t get to do something.

Mikayla Wrenn
Office of Congressman Louie Gohmert
spring 2022 | Washington, D.C.

A Guide to Living as a College Student in D.C.

When I learned that I got into the DC internship program, I was extremely excited and could not wait to live in the area for the semester. One thing I did not expect about moving up here, though, is what a culture shock it would be. The DMV area is such a young, truly urban and fast area, almost a complete 180 from Texas. Navigating life here, especially as a 19 year old college student, was such a new experience for me, but I learned my way around and how to have the best experience of my life during the internship. Here are some tips that I learned from my experience!

First, find like-minded people you can hang out with in the area! A great way to start this is trying to connect with your fellow interns from A&M. I was lucky to be paired with someone with a very similar lifestyle to me as my roommate, and I was able to find many other interns that I became fast friends with. Additionally, DC is all about meeting new people through other people! I found new friends from people my roommates were friends with or worked with, so it’s a great and easy way to find people to spend time within the area.

Next, stay on a budget! This is perhaps the most important lesson you can learn for DC. The area is so incredibly expensive, and much more costly than Texas for sure (or Atlanta, where I’m from). The more you can save on things like food and transportation, the more money you will have to have other experiences! There are two big things you can do to save money. Cook family meals with your roommates at home; by buying groceries in bulk, you can save so much money! Second: use the metro system! Uber and Lyft are so expensive in the area, and using public transportation is a much cheaper option to travel around the area.

Next, explore the area! I know that all the interns coming to DC are passionate about their policy interests and the internships they are going to, and that can make it very easy to fall into a work-only mindset. While it is very important to take full advantage of your internship and the experience you can gain for it, it’s also important to take time for yourself and do something fun. The DMV area has no shortage of attractions in addition to the famous sites in the area, and there is something for everyone to explore here.

Lastly, take a moment to relax! Recognize that you were chosen for this program because you are completely capable of handling the responsibilities and the tasks that come with both the internship and the living experience. It’s important for you to be proud of yourself for that, so take some time to think about it and enjoy what DC has in store for you!

Nitya Jella
Global Cold Chain Alliance
spring 2022 | Washington, D.C.

Museums to Visit in Washington, D.C.

Are you in a new workplace environment? Are you in a city over 1,000 miles away from home? Or are you adjusting to living in a new apartment and roommates? While living in Washington, D.C., I have certainly had to deal with these situations. Having dealt with these, I quickly learned that one of the best ways to relax and unwind is by visiting the local museums. Although walking between four to five miles, traversing security, and surviving the fluctuating weather does not sound like the ideal for relaxation, museum touring can be just the answer for your situational woes. Here are the top three museum locations I have had the opportunity to visit, explore, and learn:

The National Art Gallery

Established in 1937 from a generous donation of funds and exhibits from Andrew W. Mellon, the National Art Gallery is a beautiful collection of pieces spanning across centuries. This museum provides a perfect array of viewing locations, furniture, and refreshments for the optimal visit experience. My personal favorite pieces can be found in the Flemish and French exhibits!

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

As an all-time, iconic location in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is a must-see. From its towering fossils to its immersive mineral exhibits, this museum has something for everyone. I would recommend attending this museum with a friend! This will not only make the event feel more relaxed, having someone with another perspective with you will make every exhibit feel a bit deeper.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The most visually striking and culturally impactful museum on the National Mall must be the National Museum of African American History and Culture. With a staggering six-floor design, one can spend an entire day at this museum. Due to its enormity, this museum has a wide array of materials and artifacts that relate to African American culture and the way in which it has influenced pop culture.

With this list of museums, you can make your visit to D.C., even more relaxing! The question is, which one will you visit first?

Jace Wilkey
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
spring 2022 | Washington, D.C.

Top Monuments to Visit in Washington, D.C.

Did you know that are more than 160 monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C? One of the best things about living and working in Washington, D.C., is how close you are to the different monuments and memorials. As well as how close the monuments and memorials are to each other. Below are my top monuments and memorials to visit while in Washington, D.C. 

  1. The Washington Monument – Completed in 1885 at one time, this monument was the tallest building/structure in the world. Unfortunately, it lost that distinction a little over a year after it was completed. However, to this day, it is still the tallest freestanding stone structure in the world. It is also the tallest point in Washington, D.C. You can visit the top of the Washington Monument, and there you will have the best view of D.C. There is also a small museum at the top of the monument that tells a bit of the history of the monument’s construction.
  2. The Lincoln Memorial – Completed in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial is both a local and tourist favorite. It is also where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a dream…” speech. Like other memorials and monuments in the National Mall, it is open 24/7. If you go behind the Lincoln memorial during sunset, you will see the best sunset in all of D.C. It is also the perfect place to have lunch and people watch. 
  3. World War I Memorial – This memorial is different than the other ones above in that it is still being completed. However, it is still, in my opinion, one to visit. The memorial will feature a bronze sculpture that will show the story of the soldier and plaques that tell the history behind World War I. 

These are my favorite 3 memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C. However, there are plenty of other ones to visit as well. Which one will you see first? 

Tatum Hausman
House Committee on Agriculture
Washington, D.C. | Spring 2022

3 Things You Can Do To Battle Homesickness

Leaving home to go to school is one of the biggest decisions and steps that we make in our lives. For most Aggies, including myself, the fear and anxiety that comes with being on your own are offset by a safety net of knowing we are still within a reasonable distance of any member of our family. But what do you do when you move to a new state with no family close by?

When I arrived in D.C, I was thrown way out of my comfort zone, moving in with 4 strangers in a state and city where I knew no one. I might as well have been on an island. I was already missing my bed, university, family, dogs, and friends.

Here are the 3 things I did to help combat homesickness while in D.C.

  1. Establish and expand your social network. I have not always been the most extroverted person when it came to meeting new people, but I knew going into this program that building a social network would be the key to a successful transition. What I did was start small and focused on connecting with my roommates. After all, I would be seeing many of them, and we already have similar career interests and aspirations. My roommates and I quickly turned into a mini family, and we have helped each other grow our social networks within the program and out and have great adventures together.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
  2. Do the things that make you happy. Everyone has hobbies or activities that they truly enjoy, whether that is going to the bookstore every weekend for a new book, exercising, hiking, or bowling. I found that it is important to try to not lose those activities while in D.C. Almost anything you could do back home, you can find in D.C. as well. For me, this was simply going to the movie theater every so often when there was a new movie out and signing up for a gym membership at the local rock-climbing gym. This has made D.C. feel less like a foreign land and a little more like home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
  3. Try as many new things as you can. A busy mind prevents a wandering mind. Trying new things in D.C. has been a great way to avoid homesickness. Some have been simple, like going with my roommates to a new Chinese restaurant. Others have required some effort outside my comfort zone, such as going to explore a new part of town by myself. There are so many things to do in D.C. and surrounding areas, and you could do something new almost every weekend. For me, my favorite new things have been the Smithsonian museums and a day trip my roommates and I took to Philadelphia to see Independence Hall.

Anyone could take my lessons that are laid out above as a sort of templet, but everyone is a little different. I urge anyone moving to D.C. to take some time to reflect and think about what methods do and don’t work for you. It is also easy to get overwhelmed when you first get to the city, and even I could feel myself getting “paralysis by analysis.” So, it is also important to be decisive and take things one step at a time.

Taylor Mitchell
Office of Congressman Michael Cloud
Washington, D.C. | Fall 2021