Morgan White is in her third year at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and preparing to earn a bachelor’s in Political Science as the class of 2025 graduates later this month. Throughout this spring she has worked closely with HB Strategies principals in Washington as an intern in the firm’s national internship program. She writes that the mentorship and real-world experience she gained from the HB Strategies Federal internship expanded her understanding of public policy and the congressional legislative process and inspired her to look at a future career in advocacy.

HB Strategies CEO Andy Blunt noted, “From the classroom to the office, embracing the real world can be challenging enough which is why we have built a collaborative internship program that provides direct access to learn from our top professionals across all of our offices nationwide.”

Morgan summarized her experience with the HB Strategies Federal group…

When I arrived in Washington, DC, for the Illinois in Washington program, I knew I was stepping into an exciting world of unknowns, but I couldn’t have predicted just how much I would flourish during my time interning at HB Strategies. The firm provided such a welcoming and collaborative work environment that pushed me to challenge myself and develop skills I will carry with me throughout my career. 

From writing policy memos to preparing materials for client projects, each task presented a unique opportunity to explore what working in public policy truly means. Through my internship, I was able to explore key areas of policy, such as healthcare and higher education—topics that have solidified my interest in pursuing a career rooted in public service and advocacy. 

Being part of such a dynamic team at HB Strategies fostered a strong sense of community and encouraged me to explore areas of federal policy I might not have encountered anywhere else. What stood out most, though, was the constant mentorship I received from everyone at the firm. Whether I was taking on a different research project or navigating an unfamiliar topic, I always felt supported, and this enabled me to ask questions, stay curious, and grow along the way.

I’m so grateful for how open HB Strategies was to take in a new intern during a busy time and significant time in politics, as it truly helped me gain a new perspective on both myself and the political world around me. My time at HB Strategies taught me that advocacy can bridge gaps between communities, industries, and government, and that passionate, mission-driven people working behind the scenes truly make a difference.

As I prepare to graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I plan to take the skills and inspiration I gained from this internship to meaningfully contribute to public service. I will never forget my time at HB Strategies and the people who helped me explore the political world along the way—it taught me more than any classroom ever could.