Washington Honors Semester - Meet Katie

Katie thought she knew exactly what she wanted to do after graduating from college, but her experience during Hope’s Washington Honors Semester changed everything.

“I wanted to major in psychology and attend law school,” she explained. “When I started taking political science classes for my minor, I became fascinated by public policy.”

This fascination led Katie to take on a political science major and change the trajectory of her post-college plans. With graduation in three short months, she is currently in the process of applying to graduate programs for public policy and urban and regional planning. Eventually, she wants to work in housing policy and city planning.

Katie used her four years at Hope to soak up the excellent offerings of the political science department. These opportunities included collaborative research, work as a teaching assistant with Dr. David Ryden and additional research on the impact of global economic patterns on American housing policy in her academic coursework. Most importantly, time in our nation’s capital for the Washington Honors Semester was the single greatest influence on her future plans.

“My time living and interning in Washington DC was extremely impactful to me as a young professional and as a person,” explained Katie, who interned with the democracy team at the Bipartisan Policy Center. “I learned so much from the responsibilities I was given at BPC; even as an intern, I felt like I had a part in facilitating real bipartisan policy solutions. The experience of working in policy research and advocacy inspired a desire to pursue public policy as my career,” she shared.

The consistent excellence and support of her professors is something Katie won’t soon forget. “The professors are approachable and love to learn. They’re incredibly knowledgeable and willing to point you in the right direction for whatever resource you might need,” she said. “Their generous listening is something I’ll carry with me forever.”

She’s thankful and inspired by donors like you, especially on Day of Giving. “The department, through your support, shapes students into compassionate and engaged critical thinkers, citizens and future leaders. I am a direct recipient of your generosity,” Katie said gratefully. “I know I will support the program as a Hope graduate.”

Support transformative opportunities and the next generation of leaders through your gift to the Washington Honors Semester on Day of Giving.