Alexandra Pugh ’25, an SMU NexPoint Tower Scholar, is double majoring in political science and music with a minor in public policy and international affairs. She was awarded the Jack C. and Annette K. Vaughn Fellowship for her summer internship with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
I spent a transformative summer in Washington, D.C. completing an internship with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the beating heart of legislative foreign policy. Walking to the Capitol each morning, I felt steeped in the history of American democracy. Along with my six fellow interns, I assisted the Committee staff in their work of drafting and shepherding legislation, as well as managing the oversight and nominee confirmation processes. As an intern, I conducted policy research, helped vet nominees, and took notes in hearings and briefings. I also assisted with the Committee’s preparation for the most recent NATO summit, which was held in Washington, D.C. in July. The internship immersed me in the inner workings of the Senate, and I came away with a deeper understanding of the foreign policy process.
The Senate was a dynamic environment, and the immediate workday priorities shifted as policy issues came in and out of focus. Sometimes, world events put particular countries in the spotlight, as was the case with the Georgian foreign agent law. In other cases, the legislative calendar defined the day; for example, the release of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) dominated entire weeks of the summer. Although my work evolved throughout the internship, a few responsibilities remained the same. I regularly attended State Department briefings on Afghan relocation efforts, taking notes and preparing write-ups for Committee staffers. I also wrote an internal newsletter on regional developments in the Indo-Pacific.
Working with the Committee’s Europe portfolio was another constant of my summer. From tracking European elections to writing a Senator’s NATO summit briefs, I learned so much from engaging with Team Europe. I was also included in a number of fascinating meetings and briefings. I took notes in a staff briefing from the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, and I sat in on a Senator’s meeting with two top foreign diplomats. I also had the opportunity to see Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he concluded his meeting with Senate leadership on the sidelines of the NATO summit. This immersion in the inner workings of the Senate was one of the most valuable and interesting parts of my internship.
Like all Congressional committees, hearings comprise a key part of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s work. As one of the most public-facing Committee responsibilities, hearings also provide a venue for Senators to call attention to issues of interest and press the Administration on particular foreign policy decisions. On my second day of work, I had the opportunity to attend the hearing in which Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified before the full Committee, an intense and much-anticipated event. I also attended several Helsinki Commission hearings, and I enjoyed seeing this institution of bicameral collaboration operate firsthand.
While off the clock, I set out to experience everything Washington, D.C. had to offer. I had the opportunity to go to the White House for the Kenyan State Visit during my first week. I also dove into the think tank scene, attending lectures and panels on everything from artificial intelligence to nuclear policy. Adventuring alongside fellow Hill interns, I visited almost every Smithsonian museum, saw the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, and attended a Washington Nationals game. I also trekked the monument walk along the Potomac, explored the National Zoo, and hiked in Rock Creek Park, a beautiful, wild preserve on the Northwest side of the district. In addition, I cheered for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s softball team each week as they went to bat against other Senate offices on the National Mall.
I am truly grateful for the support of the SMU Tower Center Jack C. and Annette K. Vaughn Fellowship this summer. I also wholeheartedly thank SMU Professors Stephen Wegren, Maribeth Kuenzi, Diana Newton, and Luisa del Rosal, as well as David Kramer and Igor Khrestin of the George W. Bush Center and Professor Shahin Berenji of the U.S. Naval War College for their guidance and mentorship during this internship.