Meet Amber Krupp, a senior at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, who has joined Penn Hill Group as an intern for this winter/spring. With an interest in education advocacy, Amber is a political science major with a minor in law, justice and social change.

Amber Krupp

See our interview with Amber below to learn more about her and all that she brings to our office. Welcome, Amber!

Why did you decide to spend a semester in DC? 

I spent a past summer working on early education issues at the National Women’s Law Center in DC. I loved the city and the work I got to do so I knew I wanted to spend more time in DC. Right now I’m participating in the Michigan in Washington program; I’m spending a semester in DC interning, taking courses and working on independent research.

What do you hope to do or learn during this internship?

I want to add to my knowledge of education policy and better understand important legislation like the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act. By interning with Penn Hill I’m also hoping to learn more about bipartisanship and from the diverse set of clients with whom Penn Hill works. I will also have a chance to learn firsthand about lobbying and consulting strategies and best practices.

What interests you most about education?

I first became interested in education when my little brother started kindergarten underprepared. I have seen issues related to teacher quality and teacher turnaround, especially in low-income communities. This led me to work as a tutor in Detroit, MI through America Reads, which bolstered my enthusiasm for education reform.

What are some of your future goals?

In the future I hope to use what I’ve learned in past work and what I hope to learn during this internship to continue to impact the quality of education, especially for marginalized populations. Long term, I’m also interested in earning a graduate degree, perhaps in law.

What’s something exciting you’ve recently gotten to do?

Last summer, I got to study the European Union (EU) and the pros and cons of having a united Europe in Brussels, Belgium. We were able to meet with different agencies, government officials, non-governmental organizations and consulting firms to see how they operate within the EU.