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Schar School in the News
Schar School’s Terrorism Center Joins International Conservation Union to Combat Wildlife and Conservation Crimes
January 19, 2021
Schar School Adds Intelligence Expert, Author, TV Commentor David Priess to Faculty
January 13, 2021
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January 11, 2021
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Hayden Center Event - The Assault on Intelligence: After Trump (1/26)
January 26, 2021
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January 28, 2021
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February 04, 2021
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February 04, 2021
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#Maryland is facing some hefty costs if the plan on I-270 stalls. @ScharSchool’s Johnathan Gifford tells @washingtonpost that this type of thing can be avoided. “The earlier you get the contractor involved the more options for innovation you have.” https://t.co/NgDPwFbkWj pic.twitter.com/IBCeYAZTOT

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Just because you got the #COVID19 #vaccine doesn't mean you can stop wearing a mask! @ScharSchool's @SaskiaPopescu tells the @ajc researchers need more time to figure out whether vaccines prevent transmission. (Pic, Popescu practices what she preaches.) https://t.co/szyp5Ek5HQ pic.twitter.com/lNCiJAggM2

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Experts are relieved at #Biden's plan to combat #COVID19. @ScharSchool's @SaskiaPopescu tells @YahooNews: "For the better part of a year now we’ve seen virtually no COVID-19 response from the White House." https://t.co/dgrrni08bI pic.twitter.com/LvIng8Tit9

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Will the same happen to #Trump? @ScharSchool’s @jomaburt discussed #Peru’s ex-head of state being held accountable in court with @newrepublic. Peru showed “its citizens that its system of justice is capable of prosecuting even the most powerful.” https://t.co/WC5VSpUsO3 pic.twitter.com/KYH96ASO9R

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Under #Biden, America has rejoined the @WHO. @ScharSchool’s @SaskiaPopescu tells @Forbes: “I’m truly happy to see that the Biden-Harris administration has prioritized rejoining the WHO.” It’s a good signal to our global partners. https://t.co/J5uGBnNROW pic.twitter.com/ODyGFuLfyj

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As #Biden takes office, he’s expected to issue many orders during his first 100 Days. @ScharSchool’s @MarkJRozellGMU writes in @thehill that this will “showcase that their elections resulted in meaningful and nearly immediate change.” https://t.co/hWWvrorMZR pic.twitter.com/WwRd1ZBnNP

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Home » News & Events » Latest News » How to Intern for a Foreign Politician—and Why You Should

How to Intern for a Foreign Politician—and Why You Should

Study Abroad Experience Leads Glenham Smith to New Understanding of Policy and Politics

By Dixie Downing November 22, 2019

A Government and International Politics male student stands beside the Irish Senator.

Many students at the Schar School of Policy and Government have served as interns for national politicians on Capitol Hill, as well as many local politicians in their home districts. But junior Government and International Politics major Glenham Smith’s summer internship was a little different.

He interned at the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Smith spent his summer in Dublin, Ireland, interning for Senator Jerry Buttimer, the leader of the Fine Gael party and the first openly gay Fine Gael Teachta Dála (the equivalent of a member of Congress).

A Government and International Politics male student stands/sits at an outdoor café in Ireland.

“I applied through Mason’s Global Education Study Abroad Office and interviewed with the Senator’s office a month before leaving for Ireland,” Smith explained.

Smith has a strong interest in the European political system and used his time in Ireland to further his research while working in Buttimer’s office. The position gave him opportunities to gain insights he would not have encountered at home.

“My research is on Ireland’s role in Brexit,” he said. “I was able to gain a spectrum of knowledge by asking Irish politicians questions and gathering their opinions.”

Interacting with Irish politicians gave Smith a new understanding of policy, and they put him to work in different ways than he otherwise would have in a U.S. Senator’s office.

“Because of the size of Ireland compared to the U.S., it’s built into their culture for higher level politicians to address local concerns,” he said.

“I gained a clear understanding of what the people were interested in by going to events held by organizations and meeting with people,” said Smith. “The main issues were wait times, the budget, and education reform.”

In addition, Smith used his skills gained through the Schar School of Policy and Government to write briefs, draft press work, and research emerging policy issues.

“I was comfortable in the internship because of the wealth of experience looking at policy I have received at the Schar School,” he said. “My degree helped me be more prepared to look at a political system I wasn’t familiar with.”

Through studying abroad and interning at the same time, Smith received six course credit hours. Additionally, students were given the opportunity to travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the seaside Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

Smith is expected to graduate in May 2021, and he plans to pursue a career in policy analysis for the Department of State or another internationally focused organization.

As for what he learned regarding Brexit, while all eyes are on the United Kingdom, Smith, who is minoring in international security, explained the general feeling of certainty in Dublin.

“Everyone is waiting to see happens next in the U.K., but the consensus in Ireland is the same,” he said. “The Irish support the E.U., and the backstop is necessary to maintain peace.”

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