Olivia Grube

Internship Site: Congressional Intern with Rep. Steve Womack 
Hometown: Arkansas

Short Bio: 
Hi, my name is Olivia Grube and I am from Arkansas. I am currently majoring in International Service and intend to minor in economics. In my free time, I love to play soccer with the AU club soccer team or go on walks to explore new neighborhoods with my friends. I chose to attend American University for the opportunities unique to Washington DC. The DC internship program with Cornerstone has given me the resources to find an internship that supports my future goals and the chance to mix what I learn in the classroom and through application at my internship. I am currently an intern with the House of Representatives with my congressman from my hometown. I am excited to be an ambassador for the Cornerstone DC program to highlight the opportunities available to potential students and the journey of finding and working with an organization that aligns with your passions.

Blog #1: February 10

Hey y’all! I hope you are having a great start to February! My name is Olivia Grube, and I am from Arkansas. I am currently holding an internship through Cornerstone DC and am so excited to take you through this opportunity with me. At AU, I am studying International Studies and Economics and learning Spanish. This semester, I am interning with my representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is my third week on the Hill, and I am still in awe every day I walk in. It is so special to me to be able to work with people from my hometown and bring a little slice of home to Washington.

I started my internship on January 21, 2025, the day after the inauguration. D.C. was buzzing still from the ceremony, and all of the tourists were trying to see as much as possible before leaving town. I work two half days after classes and one full day a week. This schedule lets me balance classwork and my internship as long as I am organized each week. The commute from campus is about 45 minutes, including a short stop from the metro stop. The walk from the metro stop is my favorite part of my day since it has been fairly nice in Washington and gives me the best view of the Capitol (see below).

My walk to the US Capitol

Each day in the office looks different depending on how long I am there and whether or not the House is in session. When the House is in session, the office becomes very busy, filled with people wanting to share their opinions and meet with my Congressman. These days, the dress code is business professional, and I often wear a blazer and slacks. After my first day, I learned the importance of a good pair of heels. On days in session, I have been walking close to 4 miles, and uncomfortable shoes will not help me keep up with my different tasks. Days out of session are much calmer, and I don’t need to wear a blazer. The employees in my office catch up from busy session days, and I can complete some mock memos and various other office tasks. My office has been very supportive in allowing me to work with legislative issues I am passionate about and how to do some of their everyday activities. As a current International Studies and Economics double major, I am interested in trade legislation. I have had the opportunity to work with a specialist within my office to further discuss my fascination and help with researching the newly proposed bills. Each office has a different dress code and the way the office is run, and I learn more as I visit different offices.

One of my favorite parts of my office is having the opportunity to lead tours of the Capital to visiting constituents. Last week, I went through the training and learned the ins and outs of the tour and the fascinating history of the beautiful building. I have now led one tour almost entirely by myself and will hopefully be able to lead them alone in the future. It was fun to talk to families that live so close to my house and show them such an important part of Washington D.C.

Outside of my internship, I am taking 17.5 credits to meet my freshman-year requirements, like writing and intro economics. I am also on the club soccer team and a new member of the Chi Omega Sorority. Being active and having intentional time with friends has helped me get through the challenging times so far in the semester. I have met so many new people going through sorority recruitment before the beginning of the semester and have made a lot of new friends and connections. My favorite activity has been getting off campus and finding different coffee shops for a change of scenery. My favorite find of the Fall semester is a small coffee shop in Adams Morgan that serves animal crackers with your latte.  Exploring D.C. and finding new friends has been the best part of my time at AU so far. There are so many opportunities and the upperclassmen on the club soccer team and in Chi O have been the best mentors to set me up for success.

My favorite coffee shop in DC

The AU Club Soccer team

Looking to next week and the rest of the month, I am hoping to connect and network more within and outside of my internship and continue to practice writing memos. I am also going to need to be organized to complete all of my assignments and readings as midterms are beginning to creep up. I am so excited to continue growing in my internship and experiences throughout Washington D.C. and I can’t wait to take you all with me!