9 Archer Fellows Spend Spring Working, Studying in Washington, D.C.

Nine UT Dallas undergraduates were selected to spend the spring semester in Washington, D.C., as part of the Bill Archer Fellow Program offered by the Archer Center. The six juniors and three seniors were among 36 undergraduate participants selected from throughout the UT System.

Dr. Edward Harpham, associate provost and director of the University’s Collegium V Honors Program, serves as primary faculty liaison to the Archer Center and is on its advisory board. Former U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, a UT Austin alumnus, created the program in 2001.

Harpham said the undergraduate fellows participate in various internships across the city – in Congress, the Supreme Court and the White House, as well as various think tanks and media organizations – and take three courses for academic credit.

“We have seen engineers, computer scientists, geoscientists and pre-med majors working alongside political science, economics and international political economy majors,” he said.

“The Archer Fellowship program has been for many UTD students an important step in their professional development.”

Here’s a look at four spring 2013 Archer Fellows and their experiences.

The Aspiring Lawyer

Brittany Ellenberg now attends the University of Chicago Law School, where she focuses on international human rights – an interest furthered by her spring internship.

As a senior interning at the Department of State, Office of the Secretary, Ellenberg researched democracy, human rights and civilian security, creating comprehensive reports on State Department programs in various countries.

“I was able to work with special assistants, who were lawyers by trade, and learn about efforts to establish transitional democracies in struggling countries,” Ellenberg said. “I also learned about developing rule of law through training judges, drafting constitutions and equipping law enforcement for proper civilian security.”

Upon earning her law degree, Ellenberg intends to work for a government agency or nonprofit organization to aid in humanitarian efforts.

The Aspiring Geographer

Neeraj Sirdeshmukh has long thought about working with the National Geographic Society. As an eighth-grader, he placed second in the 2006 National Geographic Geography Bee and represented the U.S. team at the 2007 National Geographic World Championship.

During his internship at the National Geographic Society, Sirdeshmukh applied his geospatial information systems skills to develop the geographic education content on the society’s website. The experience introduced him to top explorers, environmentalists, conservationists, cartographers and cultural geographers.

“My favorite memory was getting the chance to sit in a group lunch with (“Jeopardy” host) Alex Trebek, former National Geographic Society president Gilbert Grosvenor and current chairman and CEO John Fahey, and being introduced to them as a former bee champion,” recalled Sirdeshmukh, who plans to earn his master’s degree in geospatial information sciences at UT Dallas after he graduates in fall 2013.                                                

The Aspiring Doctor

Interning with the American Public Health Association’s government relations department gave Jessica D’Souza the opportunity to see how health policy fits in with clinical health care.

During her internship, D’Souza researched health care programs and legislation and developed materials for public health campaigns.

The 2010 McDermott Scholar plans to attend medical school after her May 2014 graduation and said she is interested in public health and the role of policy in maintaining the nation’s health.

“This experience greatly helped me envision my future career and how I can integrate primary care with a greater community perspective,” D’Souza said. “Having worked in Washington, D.C., with a view into how our political system determines public health and our systems of delivery, I hope to be able to facilitate communication between providers and policymakers at a community level and beyond.” 

The Aspiring Influencer

Braeden Mayer’s internship with Marathon Oil’s federal and international government affairs office was scheduled to end in April. However, to his delight, the company extended the May 2013 graduate’s contract until the end of the year.

During his time with the Houston-based oil and gas exploration and production company, the 2009 McDermott Scholar completed policy research on issues affecting the industry, drafted letters to Capitol Hill and worked with the company’s grass-roots program.

“I've learned more than I could ever imagine about energy policy, gotten to see all the work and effort that goes into crafting legislation, and developed a skill set that will be valuable in whatever field I end up in – be it public policy, public relations or strategic communication,” Mayer said.

For more information about the Bill Archer Fellow Program, contact the Honors College at 972-883-4297.

Spring 2013 Archer Fellows

	Megan Bishop, an art and performance major, interned at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia		Jessica D’Souza, a sociology major, interned at the American Public Health Association
	Brittany Ellenberg, a political science major, interned at the U.S. Department of State, Office of the Secretary		Prisha Gaddam, a political science major, interned at the United Nations Information Center
	Jessica Higgins, a political science/psychology major, interned at the Human Rights Campaign		Dani Litovsky, an international political economy major, interned at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
	Braeden Mayer, an international political economy major, interned at Marathon Oil Corporation		Neeraj Sirdeshmukh, an economics/ geospatial information science major, interned at National Geographic Society
	Cody Willming, a political science major, interned at the U.S. House Budget Committee