Inside the Beltway

From the White House to the Department of Justice, the Smithsonian to the State Department, eight Roanoke College students filled important roles as interns in the nation's capital this spring semester.

They were part of the Lutheran College Washington Semester. Since 1986, the program has offered students the opportunity to live and study in Washington, D.C., with internships and semester-long courses. The program is open to 13 Lutheran-affiliated private institutions, including Roanoke.

Six of the eight students shared details of their time spent on the front lines of some of the country's most powerful offices.   

Emily Crane '17
Washington Semester Internship: U.S. State Department   

Emily Crane got an up-close look at U.S. relations with Syria as an intern at the U.S. State Department.  

Several times she worked a 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift with the Syrian Cessation of Hostilities team, which monitors events in Syria by tracking peace agreement violations. Crane, who speaks some Arabic, was a translator.  

It was one of many unique jobs for Crane in the State Department's Office of Emergencies, which coordinates donations and works with domestic representation, evacuations and other emergencies.  

Crane's other tasks included working on a fund to support emergency needs of State Department staff and coordinating projects with department bureaus.  

After Roanoke, Crane, an international relations major, wants to enroll in a master's degree program in international development, focusing on women's studies. Eventually, she hopes to do nonprofit work.  

Sontanna Cremins '17
Washington Semester Internship: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice  

A reality check. That was one of Sontanna Cremins' biggest takeaways as an intern in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice.  

Cremins interned in the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence division, where she worked with what she described as numerous intense cases.  

"It's not a minor crime division," says Cremins, a literary studies major at Roanoke who plans to become a lawyer. "Whenever there are kids involved, that kind of makes you cringe."  

During her internship, Cremins helped attorneys prepare for trials, met with victims and monitored police body cam footage, which records police activity from a camera attached to an officer's body. Her experience validated her interest in going to law school.  

"I want to be able to do work like this," Cremins says. "The exposure is the biggest thing. It's all going to be a huge help moving forward."  

Erin Keating '17
Washington Semester Internship: Smithsonian Discovery Theater  

Erin Keating directed a tot rock concert for preschoolers one day, while the next, worked with actors who were rehearsing for an Earth Month science show.  

As an intern at the Smithsonian Discovery Theater, Keating took more than a front-row seat at the world of youth educational theater this past spring semester.  

She directed rehearsals, learned lighting and sound design, analyzed play text, prepared a show for the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, and more.  

Keating, who is majoring in literary studies and creative writing at Roanoke, says her favorite part of the work was analyzing the text of theater.  

"I love the emphasis on the language of the play and how going through text analysis helps shape the production," says Keating, who wants to teach Shakespearean literature as a college professor.

Wes Knowles '17
Washington Semester Internship: U.S. Department of Homeland Security  

Belgium. France. Slovakia. Monaco.  

These countries make up the portfolio that Wes Knowles built as an intern with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Visa Waiver Program. Each day, Knowles was responsible for tracking news in these countries and observing various factors, such as passport security, terrorism, immigration policy, border security and law enforcement.  

He also reviewed policies for the European Union institutions weekly and helped prepare briefings for U.S. ambassadors and foreign dignitaries.  

Most challenging, Knowles says, was writing short.  

"When you are writing a briefing memo for the secretary of Homeland Security's trip to Turkey, brevity is crucial," says Knowles, an international relations major at Roanoke who is interested in a Foreign Service or government career.  

Bridget Reardon '17
Washington Semester Internship: Feminist Majority Foundation  

An internship with a national nonprofit gave Bridget Reardon the needed push to finally feel comfortable about public speaking.  

As an intern with the Feminist Majority Foundation in Arlington, Va., she had to adjust quickly to roles that included talking about the foundation's message in public panel discussions. The non-profit foundation advocates for women's equality, safety and reproductive health.  

Reardon participated in panel discussions, attended rallies, protests and press conferences, worked with social media platforms and researched candidates as potential endorsements for the foundation's political action committee.  

"I loved going to work every day," says Reardon, a political science major who plans to go to law school. "I loved getting to help raise awareness and lobby about issues that I actually care about."

Nolan Webb '17
Washington Semester Internship: Office of U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte  

After a spring semester interning on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Nolan Webb says politics is his career calling.  

Webb, a political science major at Roanoke, interned in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA). Webb spent his days talking with constituents by phone and assisting staff with research.  

Webb says he most enjoyed working among lawmakers every day.  

"I was at the heart of it all," he says. "There is nothing in the classroom that can prepare you for working at the crucible of American democracy."  

Bridget Rose '17, Cassandra Balosos '17
Washington Semester Internship: White House  

Bridget Rose, a double-major in political science and philosophy, and Cassandra Balosos, a political science major, interned at the White House this past spring semester. White House policy prohibited their participation in interviews during their internships, but look for their stories this summer here, at roanoke.edu/news.