News Brief: RIC Congressional Interns Head for D.C.

Eight RIC students are interning for a week in a congressional office in Washington, D.C. as part of the 2024 RIC Washington Week/Congressional Internship Program.

This program is administered by RIC’s Political Science Department and funded by Student Community Government, Inc. and Office of the Provost. 

“We had 40 applicants, 13 finalists and eight students chosen by an Application Review Committee,” says Assistant Professor of Political Science Perri Leviss, coordinator of the program. “These students represent multiple majors and are all outstanding.”

They are (from left to right in photo above):

• Henry Perretta, data science major
• Gianna Rose, political science and public administration major
• Cade Petrella, political science and public administration major
• Miguel Hoyos, economics and global studies major
• Eliza Sirpenski, global studies major
• Gianna DelMonico, justice studies major
• Hannah Rocha, social work major 
• Robert Gonzalez, political science major

Two students each will intern in one of the offices of Rhode Island’s four congressional leaders – U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Gabe Amo and Rep. Seth Magaziner – during the weeks of May 13 or May 20.

“By spending time in the congressional offices of Rhode Island’s delegation, our students will have an opportunity to observe up close the complicated process of how national and international public policy decisions are made and by whom,” says Leviss. 

“They will also experience the hard work that congressional staff do every day in order to represent the needs of Rhode Islanders. This will expand their civic knowledge and job skills,” she says.

“Additionally,” notes Leviss, “the internship provides our students with the opportunity to see that they belong in spaces of national importance and that their voices and ideas matter.”

For more information on the RIC Washington Week/Congressional Internship Program, visit Political Science Internships.