Top of the Capitol

Author: Beau Stuckey | Major: Political Science | Semester: Summer 2023

This summer, I had the privilege of interning in the office of Congressman Steve Womack, who represents Arkansas’ Third Congressional District. I worked in the Congressman’s Washington D.C. office. I chose this internship for a multitude of different reasons. First, I have a passion for public policy, and I fully support and believe in the work Congressman Womack and his staff are doing to push forward the American conservative agenda. Second, I interned last summer in Washington, D.C. as well, and I fell in love with the city and wanted to return. Lastly, I believe there is no better place than our nation’s capital to create positive change toward returning our economy to a full free market enterprise, and this is what I strive to do. I found this internship through previous relationships with the office. Last summer, I had the opportunity to intern in Congressman Womack’s office and develop meaningful relationships. The friendships I made during that time were a big reason for wanting to return to Congressman Womack’s office. During my internship, I was able to be part of a small cohesive team that works every single day to better the lives of Arkansans and Americans alike.

This internship contributed greatly to my professional development through the actual work I did in the office, the different events we were able to attend, such as special speakers and policy receptions, and learning from different congressional staffers. I was able to network with both low-level and high-level congressional staffers and gain insight into their roles and how they have succeeded in Washington, D.C.

I was also able to meet and engage with many experts in their fields and gain a new and broader understanding of many different policy areas. The one that sticks out as the most memorable was an event I attended through the Mercatus Center on Federal Reserve reform. I was able to meet and interact with a professor from the University of Alabama whose field of expertise was the law behind reforming the United States financial system. This area of policy is something I am very passionate about, and it was super neat to be able to meet and speak with her about her beliefs.

Going forward, I will continue to work in the office of Congressman Steve Womack as I have accepted a full-time role as a legislative correspondent for him and will finish school while doing this. My performance during the internship was a major reason for my being hired, as well as my ability to network and build strong relationships. I will be facilitating the Congressman’s correspondence with constituents, and I will also be assisting the rest of the legislative team with their policy areas. This is an opportunity I am super excited to have, and I am glad I will be able to represent Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas on Capitol Hill. I appreciate the University of Arkansas Honors College for their support of me this summer, and I will work to represent the Honors College well while working in Washington, D.C.