Xavier Beck
Hello. My name is Xavier Beck. I am a fourth year senior studying history. I was part of the Spring 2025 cohort and interned as a research assistant for the Regeneración Lab at the National Archives, DC (NARA1). As a non-traditional student, I am excited to share my experience in DC!
My time spent pulling files, reading old documents, and digitizing my findings for the Lab conferred valuable archival experience. I worked directly with these documents and the archivists at NARA1 to unearth the history of the United States government’s dark history of “administering” the indigenous communities of the Southwest.
UCDC was a rich experience for me: outside of internship and classes, networking and travel opportunities abounded. My time in the capital and on the East Coast exposed me to possibilities I hadn’t before considered. Besides talks and networking events, I toured Yale Law School and attended the SCOTUS TikTok trial. I glimpsed what working a white-collar job might be like and got a welcome breather from the intensity of Cal classes.
My curricular timeline has been a mess. Admitted as a transfer back in 2020, I travelled to DC last Spring after my first semester on campus—and boy was it stressful. Managing resources and entering professional spaces can be tough! However, at every step along the way, I had support. I want to do my part to pass that on to you. Feel free to reach out with questions or if anything about the program—professional, academic, or otherwise—feels daunting. I will happily make time to meet with you or connect you with someone who can help best.
Email: bavi@berkeley.edu
Ashley Mauldin
Hi everyone! My name is Ashley Mauldin (she/her) and I am a senior with a double major in Political Science and Global Studies. I participated in UCDC in Fall of 2024 (so I got to see the entire election unfold) and also spent the summer of 2024 doing the Cal in the Capital program– so I spent a lot of time in DC and know lots of good spots for food and coffee! In the fall, I interned on Capitol Hill in the office of Congresswoman Doris Matsui of California’s 7th District as a Press and Communications Intern. During my time as an intern, I was able to explore what a future career as a Press Secretary would look like, creating drafts of social media posts, working on press releases and speeches, and also assisting with the daily news clips that would be sent out to the Congresswoman.
UCDC and my experiences within DC brought me one of my best friends — my roommate Katie, alongside firsthand experience at what an election year and the political movements of DC can truly look like. It was a memorable experience and I was able to take away not only what my future career could look like and hands-on experience within a communications role, but also get to take classes from amazing professors like Professor Marc Sandalow. If you get the chance to take his media class– I definitely recommend it!
Outside of my internship, I loved getting to go to indoor cycling studios, visit all of the various museums and botanical gardens (most of them free!!!), and even took a whirlwind day trip up to Philadelphia. DC is such a fun and vibrant city and I truly made so many amazing memories and friends for life. UCDC allowed me to further develop my professional skills, understand the inner workings of Congress and what working on “the hill” looks like, and gave me a better idea at what my future could look like. If you’re interested in chatting (about anything and everything of DC, or communications internships in specific!) Please reach out to me at ashleymauldin@berkeley.edu . I am happy to help look over a resume or a cover letter or provide any advice that I can!
Itzel Landeros Nunez
Hi everyone! My name is Itzel Landeros (she/her), and I am a senior transfer student at UC Berkeley majoring in Political Science and minoring in Public Policy. I participated in UCDC in Spring 2025, where I interned with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S. As a Communications Intern, I gained hands-on experience creating and adapting content across social media, analyzing engagement data, and using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro to craft fact-checked, engaging stories. Before DC, I thought advocacy could only happen through legislation, but through my internship I realized how powerful communications can be in advancing equity and shaping policy conversations.
Beyond my internship, DC gave me so many unforgettable moments—exploring the Smithsonian museums, going to sports games, attending President Jimmy Carter’s funeral procession, and forming close friendships with my roommates. I also traveled with friends to Philadelphia and New York, and even visited Yale and Harvard Law Schools. It was my first time on the East Coast, and those experiences exposed me to new possibilities and reminded me that none of my goals are out of reach. I loved DC for what it was and what it meant to me: it showed me that I belong in professional advocacy and communications spaces not in spite of my background, but because of it.
If you’re considering UCDC but feel unsure, I’ve been there. Writing my statement of purpose took me a long time because I questioned whether I was “enough” to be in this space. But trust me, you are. Your perspective is needed, and your ambition and curiosity are more than enough reasons to apply. If you’d like to chat about advocacy internships, navigating UCDC as a transfer student, or just want some bookstore or museum recommendations, feel free to reach out to me at ilanderos26@berkeley.edu. Take some of my belief in you as you start believing in yourself, you are more than ready for this experience.
Rona Lasam
Hi everyone! My name is Rona Lasam (they/she), and I am a third-year student studying Political Economy. I participated in UCDC last semester during Fall 2024 (yes, during election times). I interned at AsylumWorks as a Development and Communications Intern. AsylumWorks is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services to help asylum seekers and other underserved newcomers living in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. In this role, I worked closely with the development team to assist with fundraising campaigns and communications content.
The UCDC opportunity helped me solidify my career interests in working with the immigrant population and continue exploring social work. Still, it also was a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. It gave me the confidence to learn about myself and my capabilities. Despite the program’s focus on internships and courses, there’s ample time to explore the city and meet amazing people in your cohort. The UCDC program is a great way to build a network and a sense of community. D.C. is a city full of opportunities, and most activities are FREE! I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to step out of their comfort zone and grow professionally and personally.
If you have any questions about the application process, securing an internship, or D.C. in general, please do not hesitate to email me! I am here to provide you with the support and guidance you need. I’ve been through the process and understand it can be overwhelming, so I’m here to help in any way I can!
Olivia Rizk
Hi everyone!! My name is Olivia Rizk and I am a third-year majoring in Political Science and minoring in Politics, Philosophy, and Law. I participated in UCDC during the Spring 2025 semester, where I served as the interim staff assistant and first intern for the first quarter of a freshmen congressional office on Capitol Hill. During this time, I helped establish daily operations, trained fellow interns, inaugurated our office’s tour program, led Capitol tours, drafted memos and official correspondence, conducted legislative research, attended hearings and briefings, and compiled daily press clips. I then continued my work this past summer in the congressman’s District Office, where I focused on casework and constituent services.
Outside of my internship, I loved exploring the Smithsonian museums with my roommates (the Postal Museum was my fav), visiting the monuments at night with the entire cohort, and traveling up the East Coast with friends. More than anything, I cherish the friendships that developed during my semester in D.C and I am grateful to have been in our nation’s capital during such a pivotal time.
If you’d like to talk about navigating living in D.C, finding an internship, classes, or anything UCDC feel free to reach out to me at oliviatrizk@berkeley.edu. I’d love to connect and help however I can!
Eric Zhu
Hello everyone! My name is Eric, and I am a senior pursuing a degree in legal studies. I was a part of the spring 2025 UCDC cohort and I had the wonderful experience of interning at a nonpartisan nonprofit organization at APIAVote. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding my DC experience.
My time at APIAVote was truly fruitful. For instance, one of the many tasks I was assigned was to research the SAVE Act, which was scheduled to be presented on the Senate floor in March of 2025. In summary, the SAVE Act, if passed, would require proof of citizenship before voting in federal elections. I conducted analysis on the progress of the act, similar bills in the past, and arguments for and against the SAVE Act. Along with the meaningful work I completed in my internship, I had the wonderful opportunity to listen in on the oral arguments for the TikTok v. Garland hearing in the Supreme Court on January 10th. Xavier, my roommate, my friends and I slept and waited outside in the snow the night before in order to get inside the Supreme Court at 8 am the next day. The case was fascinating and it was definitely one of the biggest highlights for my DC experience.
My time at DC was truly life changing and this is not an exaggeration. I’ve completely changed my career directions after my trip to DC, as it was not just a trip filled with unforgettable experiences and meaningful internship work, but additionally, it was also for me a personal and spiritual journey that led me to sharpen my passions and what I want to accomplish with my life. If you are curious and want to ask questions about the UCDC program, or my experience in it, please don’t hesitate to reach out (my email is eric.chen.zhu@berkeley.edu), and we can schedule a chat to talk more about it. I will also have in-person office hours on Wednesdays from 3-5pm in 2422 Dwinelle Hall.