As the center of American government and politics, Washington D.C. is a hotbed of prized internships in federal agencies and private firms. Students from across the nation gather in the city for professional and academic opportunities, hoping to gain the experience necessary to succeed in an increasingly competitive market. Take Allyson Mills, a senior community leadership major interning this summer with the Social Security Administration.

Mills is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Ojibwe Tribe of Indians, from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Six years ago, her oldest brother interned in D.C. through “Washington Internships for Native Students” (WINS). The eight-week program offers government or private internships to students of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) descent, while taking six academic credits through American University.

Following in her brother’s footsteps and in love with the capital, Mills applied for the 2013 program. Once accepted, Mills was chosen by the Social Security Administration and the Office of Disability Policy to work on the Compassionate Allowances List (CAL). The CAL holds 200 diseases that can be causation for expedited disability. Through her internship, Mills is creating databases and working with suggestions for the CAL from various angles of outreach.

While excited and optimistic to be working in D.C., Mills was surprised by the strong sense of community found within the agency. “I thought it would be a really strict,” she said, “very business. But coming here, everyone is so nice and relaxed, very casual. I have easy conversations with all of my coworkers, and while we do work and we are busy, it is also a very fun place to be. There are 57 of us in the [WINS] program, very small, and we all come from different types of campuses from around the country - big schools, little schools, native schools. It’s amazing how we’ve come together and created this new community that is welcoming and friendly.”

The internship was a perfect fit for Mills, yet she credits much of her readiness to her time at Aquinas. “The biggest thing I’ve seen is how much confidence Aquinas has given me,” she said, “I can see how much Aquinas has prepared me for the real world... I got different experiences, I volunteered at different places, I did an internship... all these different things got me to the point where I am able to come to a completely foreign place and be confident in talking to people, making friends and connections.”

Entering her senior year and reflecting upon her time at Aquinas, Mills has this advice to those embarking on their college experiences: “embrace any and all opportunities - take it and try to run with it. Give yourself those resume builders, those experiences that are able to build you as a student, as a professional, as a person. I think Aquinas does an amazing job at presenting those opportunities.”