Washington D.C. Internship Program/Mayborn Scholarship

Patrick Flavin, Ph.D

Director, Washington Internship Program

Mayborn Scholarship

The Frank W. Mayborn Scholarship is awarded to five Baylor undergraduate students each summer. The scholarship provides a $2,000 stipend for living expenses while interning in Washington, DC and covers three credits of summer tuition for enrollment in the PSC 3392 Washington Internship Course. The application deadline for the Summer 2026 scholarship is January 30, 2026.

Poage-Mayborn Seminar

The Poage-Mayborn Seminar is held each summer as a professionalization and networking event for Baylor students interning in Washington, DC. The 2025 Poage-Mayborn Seminar was held on Tuesday, June 24. Students enjoyed a meal and heard insights from three professionals (and Baylor alumni!) currently working in Washington:

· Shelby Despain ‘20, Director of Operations - Rep. Mike Haridopolos (FL-08)

· Brian Mabry ‘87, Deputy Director of Office of Communications - U.S. Department of Agriculture

· Zane Zovak ’18, Policy Analyst - U.S. Department of Commerce

Baylor Summer Internship Course

Political Science 3392 (Washington Internship) is a three credit hour course in which a student earns course credit for completing academic requirements and performing an internship with an office or agency in Washington, D.C.

If you are interested in earning credit for your summer internship, please e-mail Dr. Pat Flavin.

Click HERE to view course syllabus.

Past Frank W. Mayborn Scholars

Caitlyn Beebe

My name is Caitlyn Beebe, and I am a senior University Scholar with secondary majors in journalism and economics and a minor in political science. I am in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core and the pre-law track. My career aspirations include practicing law and writing journalistically on the side. On campus, I serve as an intern at the Baylor chapter of Ratio Christi, and I am the news editor at The Standard.

This summer, I interned with the Institute on Religion and Democracy just a few blocks away from the White House. At the IRD, I researched and wrote about pressing issues in church, politics, and current culture. I also copy-edited articles for Providence, a magazine that analyzes foreign policy from a Christian perspective. While at the IRD, I attended lectures and networking events that connected me with experts and peers who shared my policy interests.

Through the Mayborn Scholarship, I gained valuable professional, academic, and personal experiences. Besides exploring the magnificent monuments and museums in our nation’s capital city, I sharpened career-relevant skills, observed the political process firsthand, and networked with up-and-coming professionals. I’m thankful for the opportunity that the Mayborn Scholarship gave me to work and study in Washington D.C.

Olivia La Porte

My name is Olivia La Porte and I am currently a senior at Baylor from Phoenix, Arizona. I am earning my BFA in Theatre Performance with a concentration in Musical Theatre and a secondary major in Political Science. I wanted to really immerse myself in the political scene and see what it was like. I plan to move back to DC and seek out opportunities there. This summer I was given the opportunity to intern or my own congressional district in Arizona.

I interned for Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01). During my internship, I was tasked with constituent services, giving tours, and research. I even had opportunities to sit in on meetings. I think my favorite part was giving the tours to constituents. I loved doing this because I got to connect with actual constituents and hear their problems. I always want to help people where I can so being on the phone and giving tours was where I shined the most. Something exciting I got to do was a legislative project. Me and my fellow interns were tasked with finding a piece of legislation or come up with our own that we could pitch to our Congressman. This allowed me to learn about all aspects of the legislative process. It provided me with tools that I hope to use in my future endeavors. Also, getting to pitch to Congressman Schweikert was the highlight of my experience. Trust me when I say he is the most generous and authentic person I have ever met. He always made it a point to talk to his constituents that were in the office and made sure they had a good experience when visiting the Capitol. I will forever treasure my time interning in his office.

I’d like to thank Dr. Flavin and everyone who makes the Mayborn scholarship possible. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to intern in DC. I highly recommend applying for the scholarship and interning in DC. It was truly an unforgettable and life changing experience.

Danielle Miller

I am a senior studying Political Science and Philosophy through Baylor’s University Scholars honors program. In past summers, I have interned in Washington, D.C. at the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation (summer 2023), and the Religious Freedom Institute (summer 2024). At Baylor, I am the editor-in-chief of The Standard (a student newspaper), a political philosophy research assistant for Dr. David Corey, and the president of Baylor’s Alexander Hamilton Society chapter. I work as a policy debate coach for high schoolers and I am contracted to do policy research for two debate sourcebooks. I am currently writing a senior thesis on the the moral and social impacts of personifying AI.

This summer I worked at the American Enterprise Institute under Brent Orrell, a scholar on AI and workforce development. I helped write the AEI vocation newsletter, researched new AI technologies, planned events, and was the only intern to co-write a blog post with my scholar.

After graduation, I plan to move to DC and do policy research at a think tank. I enjoy reading anything by C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, P.G. Wodehouse, or Jane Austen.

Landon Self

My name is Landon Self, and I am a Senior Political Science major from Pflugerville, Texas. On campus, I have the honor of serving as Baylor University's Student Body President for the 2025–2026 academic year, a role that allows me to advocate for my fellow students and work closely with university administration on key campus initiatives. This past summer, I had the privilege of interning in the office of Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21), where I gained firsthand experience working in a congressional office on Capitol Hill. It was an incredible opportunity to witness the legislative process up close and engage with constituents from back home.

During my time in Congressman Roy’s office, I was entrusted with a variety of responsibilities that helped me develop both professionally and personally. My daily tasks included giving tours of the U.S. Capitol, answering constituent phone calls, and tracking national and local news related to ongoing legislative priorities. The summer was marked by several significant events, including the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which sparked widespread national attention, as well as the tragic flooding in Central Texas that affected many of our constituents. These experiences deepened my understanding of public service and solidified my passion for working at the intersection of policy and community impact.

Grace Steenbergen

My name is Grace Steenbergen, and I am a senior at Baylor University studying political science with a minor in legal reasoning and analysis on the pre-law track. I currently serve as the President of Baylor Ambassadors, the university’s official student lobbying organization, where I help represent Baylor students and the university to policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels. I am originally from Wyoming, where I grew up as a sixth-generation rancher, which has given me a lifelong passion for agriculture and rural advocacy.

This summer, I have had the privilege of living and working in Washington, D.C. with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC). Through this internship, I gained valuable experience in federal policy and agricultural advocacy, from conducting policy research and supporting legislative efforts to assisting with communications and stakeholder outreach. I have also had the opportunity to attend congressional hearings, network with agricultural leaders, and see firsthand how industry voices collaborate with policymakers to shape the future of American agriculture.

This experience has strengthened both my professional skills and my commitment to pursuing a career in law and public policy. I plan to carry the lessons I have learned during my time at NCBA into my future endeavors, always striving to advocate for rural communities and ensure that agriculture remains a strong part of our nation’s future.

I want to extend my gratitude to all who support the Mayborn Scholarship Progam. Your encouragement has allowed me to pursue these opportunities, and I am incredibly thankful for the chance to represent both Baylor University and my Wyoming roots in Washington, D.C.