Josie Sawyer had to make a choice between two internships in Washington, D.C. this semester, one with the Embassy of Jordan and one with U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. After many pros and cons lists and long discussions with the directors of the Baylor in Washington D.C. Program, she decided to intern for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this semester.

This was one of the hardest decisions Sawyer had to make. She knew that each internship would allow her to have the most unique experience as a student in the Capital. Yet, she knew that interning on the Hill would give her the ability to use her language skills and academic knowledge.

Being able to work in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sawyer saw the importance of the committee through contemporary policy development and global relations. Through this internship, she has been exposed to the process of policy drafting and development and the oversight of the committee on proposed legislation, messages, and petitions on a global scale.

Sawyer specifically researches and reports information on the Indo-Pacific regarding relations between the US and China. She aids in policy creation for various briefings to subcommittees focusing on funding diplomacy and development in the region. Through these tangible actions, she has been able to see the tangible impact her work has had in these briefings for U.S. representatives.

Throughout her experience in Washington, D.C., Sawyer has been able to see perspectives on topics in the world that she could not experience in a classroom. She works with colleagues from all walks of life and from all parts of the world. From this, she has been able to expand her understanding of different cultures and the challenges various regions of the world face.

With only a month left in the program, she reflects on how much she has learned from those around her in her internships and is encouraged to pursue a career in foreign policy. If it were not for this program and the choice she made to intern for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, she believes she would not have grown in the ways she did. She encourages other students to apply for this program because of the unique opportunities one can experience.

For more information about the Baylor in Washington, D.C. Program and how you could pursue an internship in foreign affairs, check out information here.