This seminar is intended to prepare college women for leadership roles in public policy. Brittany Weaver ’14 and Gabrielle Tarbert ’13 represented Washington College at this year’s seminar. Gabby and Brittany attended this seminar on a scholarship provided by the Goldstein Program in Public Affairs.

Each day, participants of the seminar would hear from various lobbyists, government employees, healthcare specialists, lawyers and non-profits. In addition, all participants were able to work on their resumes; polish their networking skills by being a part of mock informational interviews with businesswomen in D.C. and attending a networking reception; and heard from a career coach about negotiating a salary.

These programs provided by PLEN are a great way for students to broaden their horizons and learn how things work inside D.C.

“I’ve been to D.C. dozens of times, but I never experienced the City the way I did during my week at the PLEN Women in Public Policy seminar. I became aware of so many careers that I’d never before considered and have since began re-evaluating my goals. The most valuable piece of advice I had received was to find my life’s passion and pursue it; I may not follow the intended trajectory, but I will finish my career where I’m supposed to be. Each speaker offered personal experiences and narratives that enforced this sentiment. While the uncertainty is slightly unsettling, this seminar could not have been more instrumental to my preparations for the future. The Goldstein Program in Public Affairs made a wise choice in sending myself and fellow student Gabby Tarbert to the PLEN seminar and I am sure that I can speak for us both in saying that we will forever hold this experience invaluable.” — Brittany Weaver ’14

“PLEN was an excellent way for me to gain an understanding of public policy and the many levels of participation and hard work that are go into creating effective public policies. The many women we were able to hear from throughout the week offered a wide variety of opportunities to us, and showed us the importance of building a network. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in working in DC, as it offered a crash course on navigating the city, and the many career paths that are available to young women interested in working in politics, public policy, advocacy or law.” — Gabby Tarbert ’13