Although most people think of Harvard as the place where we spend the school year, a huge part of my Harvard experience has also been how I spend my summers. While learning about policy and politics all year long in the classroom as a Government concentrator, getting to see how what I’m learning in school works on Capitol Hill and beyond is incredible.

The summer before my freshman year, before my time at Harvard even started, I was able to participate in the SPARK program through the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship (CPSES). CPSES gave me funding and support to carry out a public service project in my hometown. I chose to work with my local branch of Junior Achievement to help develop curriculum that empowered schools to meet new financial literacy state standards. This process allowed me to see how statewide education policy was actually implemented at the local level.

The summer after my freshman year, I had the opportunity to intern at With Honor Action in Washington D.C., through the Institute of Politics’ Director’s Internship program. With Honor works with incredible veteran leaders from both political parties to pass bipartisan national security legislation. As an intern, I participated in meetings with congressional offices, wrote policy memos, tracked legislation, and represented With Honor at events with external stakeholders like think tanks. This experience helped me to learn more about international affairs and bipartisanship, two areas that I am very interested in. Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP) supported my summer of learning and public service through providing a stipend for living expenses, including rent and food. Additionally, the IOP held lots of fun events that made my summer in DC even better, like intern socials, a group outing to the Congressional Baseball Game, and a celebration of public service.

Last summer, the summer after my sophomore year, I knew I wanted to be back in DC, but looking at government and policy from a different angle this time. I interned at HB Strategies, a government affairs firm, again through the IOP’s Director’s Internship program. At HB Strategies, I worked with principals to develop legislative strategies for clients, wrote client-facing memos about relevant legislation, and researched emerging issue areas. After taking a course on health politics the semester before, it was so cool to learn more about the different stakeholders involved in different health policies in practice as these debates were actually happening. Through this internship, I learned more about how legislation actually gets passed. I also got to explore more of DC: I found new favorite coffee shops, went to yoga almost every day, toured the West Wing of the White House, and made new friends from other schools.

Because of my summer experiences, I can bring real-world experience to what I’m learning in the classroom. I’ve gained professional mentors who always have the right advice, new friends who share my passions, and a whole host of fun stories from my time in the nation’s capital. I also have a better idea of what I want to do after Harvard! For future students, my best piece of advice is to spend your summers exploring your academic interests in a new light: get outside of the classroom to get another perspective, maybe even on Capitol Hill!