My Congressional Internship in DC

"My once-in-a-lifetime internship rewarded me with the opportunity to meet President Obama, Michelle Obama and Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor," says Johnson & Wales University student Jonathan.

Hear about his experience in DC:

My Congressional Internship
By Jonathan Justiniano '12
Intern for Congressman Jose Serrano
Finance major

Big moment:
Hillary Clinton testified on Afghanistan and Pakistan at one House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing I attended.

New Job:
Risk assurance associate
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

1st from JWU Being the first JWU student to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute internship program was an honor. As I walked home, I’d look up at the brightly lit Capitol building and a feeling would overcome me.

It was a mix of appreciation for the strides that civil rights activists made to get me to this point in my life, and shock that I was working here in DC, where great men and women have changed the way we live.

My JWU Business Education I was able to incorporate my finance major during many discussions about the economy, and when we had constituents asking about unemployment and jobs.

It also came in handy when I attended a Senate Committee on Finance Hearing on Unemployment Reviews. One witness at this hearing? My JWU professor, Charles Fogarty Jr., who is also the director of the RI Dept. of Labor and Training.

Start in Student Government Being an active Student Government Association member (university senator, senate speaker and acting association president) has shaped many of the great opportunities that have been offered to me at JWU.

I wanted to see firsthand how the US government runs. Every day on Capitol Hill there are briefings in the House and Senate. We were allowed to attend as many as we liked. 

What internship experience lies in store for you?
Explore our College of Business majors.