Follow future leaders interning in D.C. this summer


This summer, as FIU celebrates its 50th anniversary, more than 50 of FIU’s brightest and most distinguished students have secured internships in one of the most competitive cities in the United States – the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.  All together, these 50 are leaving their mark on Capitol Hill, federal agencies, network news bureaus and the non-profit sector.

FIU in D.C. launched the fifth annual D.C. Summer Internship Experience (#FIU50inDC) June 8. With support from Governmental RelationsDivision of Student Affairs, Student Government Association (SGA) and the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, their summer internship experience will be complemented with topical seminars, alumni mentorship experience and professional development activities. Follow their journey on Twitter using the hashtag #FIU50inDC.

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From right to left: Giselle Heraux, Brandon Rivero and Olivia Napper at #FIU50inDC Intern Orientation Launch/ Meet + Greet.

“The FIU in D.C. Summer Experience is vital for both our institution and our student body because it creates a pipeline for leadership and careers,” said Tiffany Roman Biffa, vice president of SGA at Modesto A. Maidique Campus, who in interning at the Organization of American States.

“The D.C. Summer Experience puts our students in an advantageous position to network with alumni, lobby for university initiatives and showcase the quality of our education to the nation. Through this program, FIU is creating university affinity, fostering successful job placement and contributing to sustainable student success.”

Giselle Heraux – who is interning at Back on My Feet, a nonprofit that uses running to help those experiencing homelessness change the way they see themselves – says she is inspired. “I want to bring the same excitement that this organization has and use that same enthusiasm to spark interest in the nonprofit arena in Miami.”

Other D.C. interns include, Brandon Rivero, interning at the U.S. Marshals Service; Paola Bayron at Telemundo; and Carla Franco who is at the Peace Corps. For a full listing of #FIU50inDC, click here; to learn more about the interns, watch this video.

With the help of national partners like Ashoka, FIU interns are not only going to be gaining experience at their work place, but outside of it, too. The internship program’s orientation aimed to motivate participants to be solution makers beyond their summer placements; in addition, organizers urged them to view this experience as an opportunity to leave their FIU footprint everywhere and anywhere they go.

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From left to right: Bianca Ordoñez, Angela Quintero, Natalie Perez, Paola Bayron at the Latino 100 Magazine Reception.

Other activities this summer include topical seminars focused on “Life on the Hill,” National media and careers in foreign service.  Other annual traditions include Breakfast with President Mark B. Rosenberg and the FIU in D.C. alumni BBQ. The full lineup is here.

Follow the interns’ stories at @FIUdc on Twitter (#FIU50inDC) and at the FIU in DC Alumni Chapter Facebook page.

For more information, contact Summer Intern Coordinator Bianca Ordoñez at 202-624-1404, 754-281-9350 or bordo004@fiu.edu.