Working in the U.S. Capital: Political Science Student Lands D.C. Internship with Department of Commerce

WASHINGTON – In the nation’s capital, among the powerhouses of political power and policy, a Roger Williams University student is getting a real-world education in the dynamic world of Washington, D.C.

Junior Grant Wosencroft, a Political Science major and History minor from Riverside, R.I., is interning in the Secretary of Commerce’s Office. When searching for an internship opportunity, Wosencroft reached out to the Politics and International Relations Department and learned about RWU’s Washington Summer and Semester Program. With Professor of Political Science June Speakman and Associate Professor of Political Science David Moskowitz guiding him through the process, Wosencroft secured an interview with the White House Liaison’s office, getting placed with the Department of Commerce, working in the office of the former Rhode Island Governor and now Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

Wosencroft is assisting the department’s Chief of Staff with the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), documenting and helping to prepare memos and researching projects taking place in the area. Additionally, he has been helping the Senior Advisor to the Secretary with the implementation of Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS), one of Secretary Raimondo’s key initiatives. On the CHIPS team, he works closely with the Public Affairs Office researching media stories about CHIPS and the Secretary, as well as helping to staff events at the office, and within the Hoover Building – which he joked is a labyrinth that even experienced staffers struggle to navigate. Wosencroft has also been involved with Raimondo’s team and the advanced work regarding her travels.

“Every day is different,” said Wosencroft, who is gaining firsthand experience in the intricate workings of government operations while working at the forefront of policy development and implementation.

In addition to all that he is learning, Wosencroft shared that he enjoys the variety of people he gets to meet. “Rhode Island is my home,” he said. “But I love interacting with all these different people and attending all these events that I wouldn’t back home. It’s super cool.” Not only has this internship provided incredible opportunities for the future, it has taught Wosencroft a lot of life skills, having to be on his own in an unfamiliar area. “I want to say that I was the person who set the fire alarm off the least out of all my roommates,” he joked.

There was one piece of advice he received from Kevin Gallagher, the former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce, that has really stuck with him: “Meet with people and learn from them. It could always take you somewhere. You never know.” Wosencroft said he strives to live by it every day, making the most of all the opportunities he is given. He shared his own advice for his fellow students: “Take the initiative and put yourself out there.”

At RWU, Wosencroft remains an active member of the College Democrats, as well as the Men’s Volleyball club. Planning on attending graduate school for Public Administration, Wosencroft said he is grateful for the variety of work experience that his internship has provided him.

“I can go anywhere with this internship, because it's not just an internship with the government. I’ve learned about different key policy areas, as well as business and corporation,” said Wosencroft. “I’m in a good position to pivot.”