Alumna Ann Looper Pryor with students
On September 17, Ann Looper Pryor, a 1983 Political Science alumna, met with political science and communication majors interested in interning in Washington D.C. As a former staffer for U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond and lobbyist for the American Institute of Architects, Pryor offered a unique perspective and insight into working in D.C.
During the lunch meeting, Pryor talked about her career path and how she started working for U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond. She encouraged students to use this meeting as their “kick-off” to start searching for where they want to intern and live during an internship in Washington D.C. Pryor showed attendees the various sections of the website http://www.washingtoninterndossier.com that she and a few D.C. interns created over the summer. This website provides valuable information on where to look for internships in Washington D.C., housing options, places to eat, how to get around , social activities and appropriate attire for D.C. Pryor emphasized the importance of lining up housing early and submitting applications to multiple internships. She encouraged students to be sure that their applications reflected their personal passion for wanting an internship and to make sure that their applications were error free.
Pryor also advised students to explore and apply for the various awards that are available to help cover the cost of staying in D.C. during a summer internship including the W.N. Looper Award that she supports. This past summer, political science major, Kaitlin Foran was the first W.N. Looper Award recipient. She had the chance to intern in Congressman Mick Mulvaney’s (SC-5) office in Washington D.C. [Learn more about Kaitlin’s experience here]
We are thankful for Ann Looper Pryor’s generosity with her time and support for these students as they navigate the process of finding an internship on the Hill in D.C.
Ann Pryor with political science major Kaitlin Foran, first W.N. Looper Award recipient