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 2025 scholarship is January 31, 2025.

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 2024 Poage-Mayborn Seminar was held on Tuesday, June 25. Students enjoyed a meal and heard insights from three professionals (and Baylor alumni!) currently working in Washington:

· Denise Edwards, Director of Government Affairs at National Children's Alliance

· Hunter Oliver, Senior Trial Attorney for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Department of Transportation)

· Katherine Terminella, Associate Director of Business Development at Axios

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 the course syllabus.

Past Frank W. Mayborn Scholars

Jacquelyn Franz

My name is Jacquelyn Franz, and I’m in my senior year studying Professional Writing & Rhetoric and Psychology at Baylor. As someone interested in pursuing political journalism or writing for a nonprofit, I wanted the opportunity to intern in D.C. to immerse myself in a hub of both politics and vital nonprofit work.

The Mayborn Scholarship provided me with the funding I needed to work as the Editorial Intern at the American Horticultural Society, where I gained editing experience working on their bi-monthly magazine, The American Gardener. I had the opportunity to tour the Smithsonian Gardens and the U.S. Botanical Gardens, as well as to interview and write about influential horticulturalists from across the country. On the weekends, I was a metro ride away from the incredible arts scene in D.C., as well as the wealth of knowledge available through our Smithsonians.

Writing for The American Gardener gave me a platform to publish my work for the first time, as well as learn how to write within a publishing cycle. The small size of the nonprofit also meant that I was able to branch into social media and marketing writing, building on my abilities as a communicator. This experience gave me invaluable networking skills and set me up with the qualifications to work at the WACOAN, Waco’s magazine, over my senior year. I’m incredibly grateful for the summer I was able to spend interning in D.C. with the American Horticultural Society, and I encourage any Baylor student who wants to spend time in our nation’s capital to apply.

Lucy Lusk

My name is Lucy Lusk and I am a senior Sociology major with a minor in Political Science from Wills Point, Texas. After graduation, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in Public Affairs, and eventually work in public policy.

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in Washington, D.C., a think tank focused on employing rigorous academic research to address and reform pressing policy issues. While there, I served as a Communications intern, working with both the Communications and Media Relations departments to promote the work and accomplishments of AEI scholars in popular media outlets such as the Washington Post and the New York Times. Additionally, one of my primary roles was to assist the Communications team in compiling data for the upcoming newsletter, DataPoints, as well as editing and publishing the finished product on the AEI website.

This amazing experience would not have been possible without the Mayborn scholarship, and I cannot express my gratitude enough. Because of this scholarship, I was able to make lifelong career and personal connections, refine my research skills, and get a taste of D.C. life! I recommend the Mayborn scholarship to anyone interested in interning in D.C. and look forward to pursuing the opportunities brought to me by my internship at AEI.

Noah Valsecchi

My name is Noah Valsecchi, and I am a junior here at Baylor University. I am a political science major with a minor in leadership studies and am a member of the Baylor 2 Baylor law scholarship program, which will allow me to attend Baylor law after undergrad. I am originally from Columbia, South Carolina. On campus, I am a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Baylor Men’s Choir, and the Model United Nations team.

This summer, I have had the distinct pleasure of living and working in DC as a congressional intern for two distinguished representatives of South Carolina, Congressman Ralph Norman of SC District five, as well as Congressman Jeff Duncan of SC district three. Throughout my time in both of these offices, I have learned a lot about the legislative process and experienced some incredible things along the way. As a part of these internship roles, I was tasked with constituent services and outreach as well as conducting policy research for legislation. On top of these day-to-day tasks, I had ample opportunity to network with and learn from some of the top professionals and figures on the Hill. Needless to say, I have had an incredibly productive summer interning at the United States House of Representatives, and I plan to carry the experiences and professional lessons gained from these internships with me in all of my future endeavors.

I want to extend special thanks to all that make the Mayborn scholarship possible. This scholarship was a huge blessing for me, and I wouldn’t have had nearly the amount of opportunities I was able to have without the Mayborn Scholarship.

Paul Yoon

My name is Paul Yoon, a senior at Baylor University studying International Studies with minors in Political Science and Chinese. After undergrad, my plan is to go to Graduate School majoring in International Relations with a focus in East Asian Affairs.

On campus, I hold officer positions as the Secretary for the Korean Student Association and President and Risk Management Chair for the Sigma Iota Rho Honors Society. I am also an active member of the Alexander Hamilton Society.

This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the State Department under the Front Office of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs as a Staff Assistant. As an EAP Staff Assistant, my main goal was to assist the team with ensuring that high-profile personelles like the Bureau’s Assistant Secretary or Secretary of State received all forms of important briefing materials for high level engagements. Through various projects and administrative functions, I was able to hone my leadership and analytical skills in a diplomatic setting.

In addition, through my internship I was able to attend several Congressional hearings, receive mentorship and build network with current FSOs, and gain valuable volunteer work experience at conferences such as the 2024 NATO Summit and 2024 Chiefs of Mission Conference.

I deeply appreciate the Frank W. Mayborn Scholars program and Dr. Flavin for providing me with the necessary resources and assistance to partake in a summer opportunity that is vital for my future endeavors. The financial assistance I’ve been able to receive, along with an opportunity to take a unique Political Science Course, has played a big role in helping me manage costs in DC and gain course credit. I highly recommend that Baylor students partake in a summer internship in DC and apply for the Mayborn Scholars Program!