Meet Penn Hill Group’s Spring interns, Prince Adhikari and Luke McDermott. Prince graduated from Augustana University in May of this year with a degree in Political Science. Luke graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May of this year with degrees in Political Science, Economics, and History. Learn a little bit about each of them below!

Prince Adhikari

Why did you decide to spend a semester/summer in DC?

As a political science major concentrating in American politics, I have always wanted to spend time in Washington, DC, since it is the center of national policymaking and political activity. While my previous internships in my home State gave me valuable exposure to policymaking and political work, I was looking for a more hands-on, fast-paced environment where I could deepen my practical understanding of how policy is shaped in real time and at the Federal level. In addition, my school offers a DC program that provides structured opportunities for networking and exploring a wider range of policy interests. This combination of academic support, professional exposure and access to the policy community made spending a semester in DC a natural next step for me.

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

So far, I have come to understand that there is a great deal that goes into policymaking beyond what is typically captured in classroom discussions and textbooks. During this internship, I hope to gain substantive, applied knowledge of the Federal policy process and how it operates in practice on a day-to-day basis. I am also looking to develop a deeper understanding of the level of debate, coordination and effort involved in education and workforce policy in particular. In addition, I am grateful for the professional development and networking opportunities that Penn Hill has provided throughout this internship, which have already helped me grow in my communication skills, professional confidence and understanding of the policy landscape.

What interests you most about education?

Having had the opportunity to serve in leadership roles during both school and college, especially as Vice President of my college’s student government, I was exposed to how important and complex education debates are in the U.S., even though they often receive less attention than other policy areas. These experiences showed me how decisions around education directly affect students’ opportunities, institutional priorities and broader social outcomes. In addition, my internship at a small policy firm last summer gave me the opportunity to track education policy developments across all 50 States which expanded my understanding of how multifaceted and far-reaching these issues are. I am grateful for my own educational journey and the opportunities it has provided, as it has shown me the profound impact that access to education can have on an individual’s path. This has shaped my interest in ensuring that more people are able to benefit from those same opportunities and these policies continue to receive enough attention.

What are some of your future goals?

I will be attending graduate school for applied policy and politics, with a specific focus on workforce development and the expansion of educational and career pathways over the next two years. In the long term, I hope to return to the policy space and work at a think tank, where I can contribute to research and analysis that informs public debate and helps shape practical impactful policy solutions.

Luke McDermott

Why did you decide to spend a semester/summer in DC?

Throughout my college career, I have had the opportunity to explore many public sector roles, including at the Nebraska Unicameral, U.S. House of Representatives and the University of Nebraska. Additionally, I have had a fair deal of experience in the nonprofit/not-for-profit world, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal

Employees (AFSCME), the Roosevelt Network, the Public Interest Law Association and El Terreno, an NGO in Ecuador. Where I wanted to grow next was in client-centered, private sector engagement with government entities. Washington, DC was the ideal, or rather singular, location for me to get that experience and launch my career. More than that, though, Washington, DC is a unique place where everyone is motivated about issues in society and government. That is an experience you don’t get everywhere, and I wanted to take advantage of an opportunity presented to me to soak that in.

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

In line with seeking a client-focused opportunity, I want to develop my soft skills in relationship management, both in terms of clients and coworkers, and navigating the unique policy-laden world-of-work that Washington, DC has to offer. How do you maintain relationships with clients even beyond their current place of employment? How do you prove value even when there isn’t a crisis to confront? How is trust established? These are all questions I hope an opportunity at Penn Hill will help me answer. More concretely, I hope to enhance my research competencies, including my ability to navigate government documents; develop my knowledge of more niche congressional and administrative processes, including markup, appropriations and negotiated rulemaking; and increase my familiarity with thematic pieces of legislation like the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

What interests you most about education?

As a student for the past 18 years (if you count my illustrious stint in preschool), I have spent much of my life surrounded by education policy. Naturally, as a student interested in politics, I developed my own opinions towards the K-12 and higher education environment. Additionally, I was highly involved in student government throughout my undergraduate career, serving as the External Vice President of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska. Through that experience, I was exposed to the internal workings of a large public R1 research university and the inherent game of politics that occurs when students, faculty, administration, regents, the legislature and the governor all play a role in governing one of the most pivotal institutions in the State. In other words — I saw how the sausage is made. But truth be told, I am more interested in the workforce policy focus of Penn Hill Group. Although distinct, workforce has an interesting connection to labor policy, where I placed the bulk of my focus during my undergraduate studies.

What are some of your future goals?

At this moment, I am most interested in making connections with the wealth of accomplished, policy-oriented individuals in Washington, DC. There is no shortage of interesting people that are willing to share their story, or maybe even lend a helping hand in your career. After working for a few years in DC, I plan to attend law school, focusing on some of the same issues I am exploring here at Penn Hill Group: the power of higher education, labor, workforce governance and operating within complex institutions.