Given that a presidential election is just a few months away, politics has been on everyone’s minds (and all over our screens) this summer. But few people have been as immersed in it as Josh Fried '18. As a legislative intern for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, Fried spent his summer in Washington, D.C., working in the Senate Building offices and getting first-hand experience in the legislative process and the world of public policy. It was enriching, engrossing work and it led to some very exciting days.

“One day you are watching Bernie Sanders on CNN lead a ‘revolution’ and the next day you are sitting five feet away from him in the Senate Cafeteria. … It was surreal,” says the political science major. “The ability to be close to our leaders is simply an unforgettable experience.”

In Casey’s office, Fried was assigned to focus on education, LGBT issues, immigration, Medicare and Social Security, and poverty. In addition to sorting mail and crafting replies to Casey constituents, he spent his time attending Senate committee hearings and various briefings pertaining to his issues and wrote memos on them for the legislative consultant who oversaw his daily work.

“This internship was really important because it has propelled my interest to continue to focus on public service,” he says. “The internship can be a stepping stone to a potential career on the Hill or in politics or policy.”

Fried’s internship was sponsored by the Center for Career and Professional Advancement’s Liberal Arts in the Workplace Summer Internship Fund. But he might never have applied for it were it not for the influence of Haverford Political Science Professor Anita Isaacs and Visiting Assistant Professor of History Paul Farber, who inspired and cultivated his interest in politics.

“My experiences at Haverford have shown me the path to Capitol Hill, which is where I know to want to be,” says Fried. “Being a proud Haverfordian has not only accelerated my interest in public service, but it has shaped my value set and my identity for a confidant future.”
 

-Rebecca Raber, with reporting by Jamauri Bowles ’17

“Summer Centered” is a series exploring our students’ Center-funded summer work.