D.C.’s Most Important Resources: Great Mentors

WAIP Students and their mentors,

including me (center-right) 

and Jesse (far left)

When you join WAIP, you get assigned an alumni mentor to help guide you in this city and help you make connections.  This is one of the best things that WAIP has to offer, the OSU alumni who participate in this program are some of the most helpful and generous professionals in the city and from my experience it has helped me greatly.  My mentor is Jesse Walls, director of member services at the National Republican Congressional Committee, and he has been so willing to help me in any way he can.  He’s connected me to Hill staffers to help me learn about life working in Congress, he’s taken me to fundraisers and political events, and been very willing to be a resource in the future. 

In addition, I’ve met awesome people at my internship who have also been real mentors to me as well, especially WSWA lobbyist and OSU grad Ali Gormley.  Ali has really taken me under her wing to help me learn the world of lobbying and make sure that I’m doing real, meaningful work, as well as giving me every opportunity to participate in events and receptions where I’ve gotten to meet other cool people.  People like this don’t come around just anywhere, so I’ve been so grateful to have mentors during my D.C. experience who care about me and really want me to succeed.  This is true of so many people in D.C., especially our fellow Buckeyes, who are always the first to reach out a helping hand to OSU WAIP students.  Embrace these people and find them anywhere you can, I promise you won’t regret it!