When other students returned to school on Aug. 24, Karla Corres started work in a Congressional office in Washington, D.C., where she will learn first-hand what classroom lectures can only hint at.

The CSU Monterey Bay senior is one of about two dozen students taking part in this year’s Congressional Internship Program through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. They were selected based on exemplary academic achievement and an interest in policy and public service. Corres will spend 11 weeks in the office of Congressman Juan Vargas, who represents parts of San Diego and Imperial counties. Interns, of course, are plentiful in Washington. The Panetta Institute program stands out because it provides students with intensive preparation during a two-week course at the institute prior to their departure for Washington. They attend classes on key domestic and foreign issues, rules and procedures of debate and lawmaking, White House relations with Congress, and the role of an intern, among other topics.

Corres, a business administration major from Seaside, is interested in public service. “This internship will give me the opportunity to practice two things that I'm passionate about – business and serving my communities," she said. "Mainly, I'm interested in this internship because I want to build a career in the nonprofit or public service sectors.

“As a woman who comes from a minority group, I hope to empower other minority individuals to strive for their goals by taking part in organizations that serve the community.” Corres has served her community since coming to CSUMB. As a member of M.E.Ch.A – Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan – she has helped to organize the group’s annual Raza Day Youth Conference, which brings 150 high school students to campus to learn about college. She served as a volunteer tax preparer for the United Way, and completed an internship with the hospitality workers union, UNITE HERE.

While in Washington, the interns will attend regular seminars with government leaders on policy issues including economics, the environment, foreign affairs and other topics. They can earn up to 20 college credits for the 11 weeks they spend on Capitol Hill.