Neither Aaron Freier nor Emma Illg are majoring in political science.
And the seniors-to-be have no plans to pursue a career in government following graduation next spring.
But both will spend this summer working in the nation’s capital, taking advantage of the opportunities in their own prospective fields that the Washington, D.C., Summer Study Program at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University provides.
“Typically, this program draws a lot of political science majors,” said Freier, an art major (with minors in political science and creative writing) who hopes to one day work in art administration.
“But it’s open to all majors, and I saw it as a great chance to meet people and make connections in a city where there is so much art and so many museums right at your fingertips.
“Washington isn’t just the center of government in this country,” he continued. “It’s a center for the arts and a lot of other areas as well.”
Freier will spend the next few months working as a traveling exhibitions project intern at International Arts and Artists, a D.C.-based nonprofit organization “dedicated to promoting cross-cultural understanding through the arts nationally and internationally.”
“Their main role is producing traveling art exhibitions, but they have gallery space to showcase artwork as well,” said Freier, a Red Wing High School graduate whose father, Nathan, a 1988 SJU graduate, spent 20 years in the military before going on to a career in the defense industry, including working at the Pentagon for several years.
“I have a bit of familiarity with the area because I was born in Pennsylvania and my dad spent a lot of time in D.C. for work when I was growing up. I was interested in going back there. This opportunity seemed like the perfect fit for my interests.”
Freier is one of 13 students taking part in the program, which is now in its 47th year. It’s designed to provide students from all majors the opportunity to live and work in Washington while earning academic credit.
Each student serves in a Congressional office, on a committee staff, in a government agency, in a nonprofit organization or with a public affairs group.
Beyond the work experience, a faculty moderator conducts seminars and arranges for supplemental meetings with CSB and SJU graduates working in the area, as well as other professionals.
“The Washington, D.C., chapter is our second-largest alum association outside of the Twin Cities,” said political science professor Whitney Court, one of the program’s co-directors. “We have such a great network of graduates out there, a lot of whom have gone through this program.
“Our students go through a transformative experience every summer. They live together as a group and learn from each other as they gain valuable experience across a wide range of areas. We have students working on Capitol Hill in different Senate and House offices, students working for nonprofit groups and students working with other entities as well. It’s always amazing to see the amount of growth that happens over the course of the 10 weeks they’re out there.”
Another of the students taking part in the program this summer is Illg, a Fillmore Central High School graduate who is majoring in global business leadership with minors in accounting and data analytics.
She is working as a project operations intern at the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), a trade association representing international manufacturers of heating, water heating, ventilation, air conditioning, commercial refrigeration and water heating equipment.
“I visited Washington, D.C., my senior year in high school and I loved the city,” she said. “There’s so much history there and it’s exciting to be in the place where policy is made – not just in government, but in business and so many other areas. I think there are around 13 or 14 Bennies and Johnnies working at AHRI alone. Which means this is a really great chance to tap into that network and make valuable contacts for the future.”
Illg just returned from studying abroad in South Africa during the spring semester.
“My dad joked I should just stay on the tarmac,” she said with a laugh. “But one of the passions of my life is to travel and take in new experiences. During my time at Saint Ben’s, I’ve been able to travel to India and study in South Africa. Now I have the chance to spend a summer working in Washington.
“There are so many opportunities like that open to students here and I want to take advantage of them.”
Freier studied abroad in Salzburg, Austria, last fall.
“Some of the students I was over there with are now part of this program,” he said.
“There are chances to do a lot of different things on these campuses. I spent last summer working with The Saint John’s Bible. That’s what first sparked my interest in programming and creating as many opportunities as possible for people to engage with art. This summer is a way to continue exploring that passion.”
The complete list of students taking part in this summer’s program is as follows:
· Aaron Freier (International Arts and Artists)
· Alayna Furman (U.S. Rep. Angie Craig)
· Cecilia McNair (Senate Agriculture Committee)
· Charlotte Whiting (BARR Center)
· Greta Glisczinski (Northeast-Midwest Institute)
· Joel Makem Ratzinger (ALIVE!)
· Payton Marshall (Primacy Group)
· Lars Molenkamp (National Council of Higher Education Resources)
· Lem-wa Ojullu (U.S. Rep. Jason Crow)
· Venessa Poppen (Generations United)
· Emma Illg (Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute)
· Josey Jackson (Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute)
· Rhea Murphy (Embassy of The Bahamas)