USF St. Petersburg student interns at the White House.
An old row house by Capitol Hill housed interns from ivy league schools across the country and one from USF St. Petersburg.
Tyler Lewis, a 21-year-old senior and political science major, never thought he would have a chance to intern at the White House.
During the 2015 Spring Semester the Florida native often had to undergo a rough and icy commute. Lewis, who was a bit unprepared, carried his dress shoes as he walked in his Vans through the Washington snow.
Lewis described the White House as a positive and energetic environment with goals to make America a better place.
“Everyone there moves a million miles a minute. It is the most crazy, fast-paced environment,” said Lewis, who worked in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
During his internship, Lewis worked with local elected officials, drafted briefing materials, coordinated meetings and pushed initiatives.
He said he found out about the internship from his professor Dr. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, associate professor of political science and founding director of USFSP’s Center for Civic Engagement.
McLauchlan was the Democratic candidate for Florida Senate District 22 in 2014. Lewis worked on her campaign from the beginning, when she decided to run in 2013, up until election day.
He started as an intern for McLauchlan’s campaign knocking door to door, calling donors, attending fundraisers. After learning the ropes of a campaign, Lewis moved up to finance assistant where he conducted donor research, staffed the campaign office, and assisted in finance operation that raised $308,177.
McLauchlan was employed at the White House during both terms of the Clinton administration and worked closely with White House interns where she reviewed the internship applications.
“I knew Tyler had what it takes because you need to have a great attitude, need to be willing to work long hours,” said McLauchlan. “It takes a lot of energy and stamina, to put it mildly.”
During the internship Lewis was taking two online classes through USFSP, which wasn’t especially easy to keep up with after long days at the White House. However, he was able to find some time to explore Washington on the weekends.
“It was a ridiculously good time,” he said.
Lewis still keeps in contact with the other White House interns.
“All these amazing, smart, brilliant people are going to be the one’s that are someday changing the world.”
Lewis will be going to school full time this fall and plans to go back to Washington in January. In the future, he aims to pursue a master’s in public policy or attend law school, with the hopes that someday he will run for public office.
“It’s a long road to get there, but I want to be making that impact,” said Lewis. “Helping people change their lives for the better.”
Want to intern on a presidential campaign? The Road to the White House 2016 is a 6-credit course offered this spring. It includes an internship on one of the presidential primary campaigns in New Hampshire. The course has limited availability, and has course fees to cover the costs of travel and lodging.
Please contact Professor Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan for more information.
Phone: 727-873-4956 Email: jsm2@usfsp.edu
