CSUSB students selected for two prestigious internships

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Cal State San Bernardino students Bryce Davis and Melissa Zamora have both been selected for prestigious internships by two sponsors.

Davis, a resident of Hesperia and a third-year political science and applied economics dual major at CSUSB, was selected to participate in The Washington Center’s 2015 summer internship program.

“I am excited to participate in this internship,” said Davis. “This experience will provide me with vital exposure to experienced professionals; effective strategies in non-profit management; and knowledge of useful resources within this field.” He wants to pursue a career in non-profit management and public policy in his community.

A graduate of Oak Hills High School in Hesperia, Davis was among the top one percent of his graduating class, and accepted Cal State San Bernardino’s President’s Academic Excellence Scholarship of $25,000 for four years. PAES scholars must maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average, which is no problem for the 21-year-old who has a 3.94 GPA.

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is an independent, nonprofit organization that fosters students’ academic and professional achievement, leadership and civic engagement for academic credit.

The program consists of a nine-week internship, participating in the Leadership, Engagement, Achievement and Development Colloquium, and taking one academic course, “Non-Profit Leadership and Management,” which counts as a four-unit credit at CSUSB. The LEAD Colloquium is comprised of a structured set of activities, where the interns engage with professionals in a variety of settings in the D.C. community, helping students understand leadership and the opportunity to contribute to their own communities.

His internship began on June 6 with the Providence Health Foundation in Washington, D.C., as an event specialist, fundraising and social media intern.
In addition to TWC internship, Davis, newly elected president of CSUSB’s Associated Students Inc., for the 2015-2016 academic year, will also participate in a one-week leadership seminar from June 14-21 at the Panetta Institute of Public Policy at the California State University, Monterey Bay campus.

The seminar, “Education for Leadership in Public Service,” invites all ASI presidents and other elected student leaders from the 23 CSU campuses, the Dominican University of California, Saint Mary’s College and Santa Clara University. There, the students will have direct interaction with a variety of visiting national, state and local leaders.

Davis has also been appointed to serve a two-year term on the California State Student Association as a voting member on the Services to Students with Disabilities advisory committee.

Melissa Zamora, a senior at CSUSB majoring in administration, with a concentration in public administration, has been selected for the prestigious Panetta Institute Congressional Internship program this summer, starting on Aug. 9-22 with a two-week training at Cal State Monterey Bay.

Zamora, who has a 4.0 grade point average in her core subjects and a 3.5 overall GPA, will then fly to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 11-week internship from Aug. 24 through Nov. 6.

“I feel honored that I was selected to be a part of this prestigious internship,” said Zamora. “It has reinforced the idea that hard work, dedication, and stepping out of my comfort zone will open up many doors. I am excited to join those that help make this nation great, for the learning experience, and for exposing me to a different environment,” she said.

A Mira Loma resident, Zamora’s long-term career goal is to become a member of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Senate Committee. She hopes to one day conduct the task of writing and passing legislation with regard to economic policy and urban development, and that the internship “will provide the opportunity to learn first-hand the specifics of policy making.”

Zamora, who is the newly elected president of the CSUSB student group Public Administration Organization and its outgoing vice president, said that having been an officer in the club has already helped develop her leadership skills.

“Working alongside our nation’s leaders will help me develop characteristics to become a better leader in the student club that I serve,” said Zamora, a graduate of Kaiser High School in Fontana.

Interns are nominated by the presidents of the 23 CSU campuses and the other participating universities, and approved for participation by the Panetta Institute and a representative of from the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

During the intensive summer training, the students attend lectures led by an array of experts from diverse leadership positions and academic disciplines. Class discussions at the Panetta Institute range from national fiscal and monetary policy to the practicalities of what interns may expect once they arrive for work on Capitol Hill.

Sessions will focus on policy issues as well as on how congressional office holders coordinate their work with state and local governments and constituents. Interns are then assigned to work with a member of the California congressional delegation, while continuing their studies.

For a digital image of Bryce Davis and Melissa Zamora or for more information, contact the university’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.

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