Student
joins future political leaders in D.C.
By
Mike Sundberg
On-line Forty-Niner
The
fifth annual Congressional Internship Program
will be receiving one of Cal State Long
Beach's own this week.
David
D. Murray, a senior political science major,
has joined 23 other students in going to
Washington, D.C. to participate in a public
service experience to help promote future
political leaders.
The
Congressional Internship Program, sponsored
by the Leon & Sylvia Panetta Institute
for Public Policy, was created to provide
students with the opportunity to see government
in action. The program is offered in the
fall semester and the internship is open
to students who have been appointed by the
presidents of their respective CSU campuses.
The
first part of the program includes a rigorous
two-week orientation at the Panetta Institute
at CSU Monterey Bay. Here, students will
have the opportunity to meet with members
of Congress, White House faculty, reporters
and a number of political figures.
According
to Leon E. Panetta, former White House chief
of staff and director of the Leon &
Sylvia Panetta Institute, the program coordinators
believe the orientation will provide the
students with "all the skills they
will need to excel in the Congressional
offices in which they are placed."
"This
is just an outstanding opportunity for me,
and it is a tremendous honor," Murray
said.
The
two-week orientation was completed and students
are now on their way to Washington, D.C.
Once there, they will be assigned to the
Capital Hill office of a congressman or
congresswoman from California. During their
ten-week stay, which concludes in December,
the students will attend seminars taught
by important administration officials on
various aspects of government.
The
particular congressman to which Murray has
been assigned is George Miller, D-California.
Miller serves the 7th Congressional District
of California, which consists San Francisco
and East Bay and sits on a number of committees,
including the House Resources Committee.
Not
only does Murray receive full payment for
the entire program, provided by the Panetta
Institute, he also will receive 20 academic
credits with a successful completion of
the program.
Upon
graduation from CSULB, Murray plans to attend
UC Berkley, earn a Ph.D. and later work
in higher level politics. According
to Murray, the level of politics he will
be participating at is normally not open
to "starving college students,"
and is giving him the opportunity to experience
a career in public life.
"This
is just an outstanding opportunity for me,
and it is a tremendous honor."
-- David M. Murray, senior political
science major
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