Washington D.C. Internship Program/Mayborn Scholarship
Patrick Flavin, Ph.D
Director, Washington Internship Program
Mayborn scholarship application
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 2024 scholarship is January 31, 2024.
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 2023 Poage-Mayborn Seminar was held on Tuesday, June 20. Students enjoyed a meal and heard insights from three professionals (and Baylor alumni!) currently working in Washington:
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Cody Cazares, National Security Advisor for Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10)
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Ayla Francis, Senior Advisor at Humanity United
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Lynsey Scott, Attorney at the Federal Aviation Administration
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
Maggie Cielesz
This summer, I interned with the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) on their Public Policy and Education task team. RFI’s is a non-profit whose mission is working to achieve broad acceptance of religious liberty as a fundamental human right, a source of individual and social flourishing, the cornerstone of a successful society, and a driver of national and international security. As an intern, I got to research religious freedom issues both domestically and internationally.
Through this internship, I attended multiple Congressional hearings to take notes and write reports, participated in international religious freedom roundtable discussions, and wrote briefing reports to be circulated within leadership of the organization. I was able to hone the skill of case-briefing, as I helped brief the leadership team following the release of the recent Supreme Court decisions of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis and Groff v. DeJoy. I also learned about the inner functioning of non-profit organizations. Due to the smaller nature of the organization, I was often pulled onto projects that did not originate from my specific task team. I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity, as it allowed me to experience all facets of RFI’s operations and truly gain a well-rounded understanding of all the different avenues of protecting religious freedom.
I am so grateful for the Mayborn Scholarship for making my summer in D.C. financially possible. Because of this program, I was also able to earn credit for a Political Science course over the summer and further advance my degree. As I pursue a law degree in the future with the goal of practicing constitutional law, I will take these formative, unforgettable experiences with me. It was an honor to represent Baylor in Washington D.C., and I absolutely would recommend a D.C. internship summer to anyone!
Olivia Gray
My name is Olivia Gray and I am entering my senior year at Baylor University. I plan to earn a B.A. in University Scholars with a secondary major in Political Science and minors in History and International Studies. Originally from Palos Verdes, CA, I spent the summer on the opposite coast with support from Baylor University and the Frank W. Mayborn Scholarship.
Throughout the Summer of 2023, I served as a Contracting Officer Intern becoming wholly knowledgeable on the procurement lifecycle including acquisition planning, source selection, and contract management. I simultaneously familiarized myself with the federal government at large, refined personal leadership skills, and built professional expertise. Taking advantage of the various training opportunities of my office and other student programs, I absorbed the tradecraft of colleagues and mentors across employment positions. Working in a facilities-oriented office allowed me a unique perspective above all workings toward requirements.
With its significant financial assistance, the Frank W. Mayborn Scholarship allowed me to focus entirely on the opportunities in D.C.. The ability to live in the city allowed me to easily connect with Baylor associates in the city, attend Congressional hearings, volunteer weekly with a local church, spend time working in the Library of Congress, and gather qualitative data for my Honors Thesis on human trafficking prevention policy. The History minor in me loved easily walking to the National Mall Smithsonian museums after work! I recommend spending time in D.C. to all students and remain blessed to represent Baylor University and the Mayborn Scholarship.
Joseph Molokwu
My name is Joseph Molokwu, and I am a senior International Studies major from Lagos, Nigeria. I plan to pursue a master's degree in either Agricultural Economics or International Development upon graduation.
On campus, I serve as Audit Captain for the Visit Experience Team, an executive with the Baylor and Beyond Living and Learning Center and the Alexander Hamilton Society, and a member of the Sigma Iota Rho Honors Society and the Global Business Connect Club.
This summer, thanks to the Mayborn scholarship, I had the privilege of serving as the inaugural intern for the U.S. Dairy Export Council. The U.S. Dairy Export Council represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers, and export traders. My responsibilities with USDEC were divided into four teams: Market Access and Regulatory Affairs, Cheese Marketing, Strategic Insight and Sustainability, and Multilateral Affairs. My work was varied and included market snapshot papers, research on sustainability efforts by dairy farmers, metadata categorization, updating our database records on Free Trade agreements and taxation rates for dairy products in foreign nations, and comparing foreign technical requirements for food safety.
In addition to my primary responsibilities, I attended networking sessions hosted by the DC Agriculture intern network, traveled to Illinois and Indiana to meet with fellow dairy industry interns, and attended lunch and learns to discuss the farm bill and policy developments surrounding our industry. The most memorable activities from my internship include attending the inauguration of Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Torres with the CEOs of USDEC and the National Milk Producers Federation and watching the Fourth of July celebration from the capitol steps.
Isabella Zárate
My name is Isabella Zárate, and I am a Junior International Studies and Environmental Studies double major. I have a minor in Poverty Studies & Social Justice and am also a part of the Honors Program and Baylor Interdisciplinary Core.
This summer, thanks to the Mayborn scholarship, I had the opportunity to serve as an outreach intern with Interfaith Power & Light, a D.C.-based non-profit organization whose mission is to bring together different faiths to unite against climate change through education and connect congregations and local leaders with feasible ways to bring solar energy to local neighborhoods. Through this internship, I was able to focus on community engagement, representation in Spanish-speaking communities, and educational advocacy to help the public learn about climate issues and related policies. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to take part in many meaningful experiences focused on community outreach and education, lobbying with legislators, and interacting with other local non-profit organizations to work with the Spanish-speaking community. Moreover, my favorite memory from this experience was when I got to travel underground from the US Senate to the House of Representatives on the subway system that congressional representatives typically use.
I am extremely grateful for the resources given to me through the Mayborn Scholar program, which allowed me to seek out an opportunity I would otherwise be unable to do. As I continue my path at Baylor, I am eager to continue my pursuit of my career and am thankful to the Frank W. Mayborn Scholarship for making this summer possible for me.