Elizabeth Sturm

Washington D.C. Summer Internship Program Summer 2002

Elizabeth interned at Chwat and Company, Inc. located at 625 Slaters Lane, Suite 103, Alexandria, Virginia. 

Chwat and Company is a government relations firm (a.k.a. a lobbying firm).  There are three registered lobbyists and a receptionist that work full-time.

Here is what Elizabeth had to say about her internship: "Chwat is a small office but they are always busy.  My job involved a variety of tasks.  I did research on things from pending legislation to the top bowling centers in the U.S.  Chwat and Company was very involved and interested in the Legislature, as expected from a lobbying firm.  The lobbying process has to go through many channels before it makes it to the Congressperson.  They work through Legislative Assistants, Legislative Directors, Chiefs of Staff and others depending on the individual office.  Lobbying Congress, from my limited experience, involves a lot of packets of information, phone calls and office visits.

Chwat and Company was a great experience.  The work I have done in the classroom prepared me well, I had no problem using the Internet to find information or using the Library of Congress to find legal documents. It really is true that everything that you have done can help you in the future.

I would recommend to anyone in the political science department to do an internship in Washington D.C. I not only reinforced my decision to be a political science major, but I have found some career possibilities. I also helped my self-confidence in respect to living on my own."