HUD HHQ
Author: Sophie McAdara | Major: Political Science | Semester: Summer 2023
This summer, I got to experience living and working in Washington, DC, with an internship at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program (FLIPS). I’m Sophie McAdara, a May 2024 graduate majoring in political science with minors in French, urban planning, and event management. I’m writing my honors thesis on the impact of short-term rentals like Airbnb on housing availability and affordability, so working with an organization that would increase my knowledge of housing and economic development policy was a priority for me this summer. When I found FLIPS and saw they placed interns at HUD, I knew it would be a great way to get into the field.
FLIPS is a paid internship program built for undergraduate and graduate students interested in federal careers. I applied for FLIPS in November, and was placed in my agency in March, so if you’re interested in this program, don’t worry if you don’t hear back for a few months! FLIPS works with several different federal agencies that vary by term and contracts out your application to each of them so that the agencies can select you for a placement based on your interests and experience. I was placed in the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), where I work under the Chief of Staff for the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marion McFadden. This was a perfect placement for me, as I have a minor in urban planning and am planning on going to grad school for a master of urban planning and community development or public administration. CPD has been a great place to learn about what kinds of grants cities and states receive to fund community planning and development projects like shelters for the unhoused, new parks, affordable housing developments, climate resilient infrastructure, and so much more.
A typical day in the life of my internship starts with a metro ride, a coffee from Panera’s Sip Club, and could include anything from writing talking points for a meeting with Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, creating a spreadsheet to organize program information, or sitting in on a meeting with Habitat for Humanity or another organization or city that receives HUD funding. Each day, I learned something new about HUD or housing policy happening around the world.
Intern Cohort at the Partnership for Public Service Office
This internship has enabled me to become so much more knowledgeable on housing policy in the United States and community planning and development organizations and efforts.
One of my favorite things about working at HUD was how passionate everyone who worked there was. I learnt that federal service is exciting, rewarding, and does make a tangible difference, and met great contacts who are leaders in their field. Working with people who dedicate each day to finding housing solutions makes me hopeful to start tackling the extreme housing inequities and raising prices we see today.
One of the things that has surprised me the most is learning how there is something for everyone at each federal agency- each agency needs HR, legal, and more, not everything is policy oriented, and every type of specialist can find a place in any federal agency.
Working with the Partnership for Public Service through FLIPS has also been very helpful, as they have provided in person and virtual sessions and speaker engagements with people like the Secretary for Commerce, Gina Raimondo and other incredible leaders. These sessions have cleared up difficult processes like federal hiring, given us resume and networking tips, and provided us with many other professional development skills.
Some highlights of my internship so far were volunteering at HUD’s annual Housing Showcase on the National Mall, visiting the DC Landlord Tenant Courts and speaking with DC Legal Aid, and watching 4th of July fireworks from the Lincoln Memorial with friends I made through my internship and a few Hogs in DC I met up with! A few things I am looking forward to as my internship wraps up are meeting HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, going to a DC Arkansas Alumni meet up, and finishing my work on a brand-new HUD program coming out later this fall.
After I graduate in the spring, I hope to get an Americorps position with a housing nonprofit, work for a city government, policy thinktank, or continue at the federal level. Working at HUD this summer has given me a lot of context for the work I want to do and connections to hopefully get me where I’d like to go!
If you are looking for a way to dip your toes into working at a federal agency, I could not recommend this program enough!
Hikes, work field trips, and the 4th of July