The Semester of a Lifetime!!! (Bill Archer Fellowship in D.C.)

It took a while to 'hit me.' It usually does take time--most things do in order for me to get truly excited, this was no different. It didn't hit me when my speech communications professor told me of the seemingly unattainable opportunity in his class my sophomore year. It didn't hit me when UT Tyler announced that the selection committee had chosen me and then informed me that I would become 1 of 23 students from the entire University of Texas School System to represent my university in Washington, D.C. for a full-semester. It didn't hit me when I was buying dress shirts and ties for my 35-hour a week internship, or when I was fitting myself in my father's vintage '70s tan pea coat from his days living in South Side Chicago, or even when I was packing all of my newly-purchased clothing and warm winter gear into stuffed, overweight suitcases that ended up costing me $150 extra to travel with on the flight out-of-state. I didn't fully-realize the opportunity that was afforded to me until I actually set foot into my new room for the semester (equipped with a Step Brothers-like bunk bed which was quickly disassembled) inside a three-story house located on Capitol Hill with living arrangments that highly resemebled a season of MTV's Real World. It was at that moment that I thought to myself, 'This is going to be a great semester!' It did not disappoint.

The Bill Archer Fellowship gave me the most rewarding, intellectually-stimulating, and fun semester of my college undergraduate experience! Students live in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill for a full-semester, participating in an internship working 32-40 hours per week while taking evening and weekend classes on communication and persuasion, policy-making, and a course focusing on D.C. "Beyond Congress and the White House." The Bill Archer Fellowship seeks highly motivated and accomplished students and rewards them with opportunities to make social and professional contacts, meet prominent and remarkable individuals, and establish friendships that can last a lifetime!

The University of Texas at Tyler is accepting applications for the Bill Archer Fellowship Program. Applications are due Friday, February 26 to Ashley Ward. For more information, contact Ashley Ward at (903)565-5730, email her at award@uttyler.edu, or stop by UCX206 for an information packet. Also, you can email Dr. Eidenmuller at meidenmuller@uttyler.edu.

(Here's a shot of the Capitol at night taken from my first night in Washington, D.C. Walking by it would put many things in perspective for me, and I had the opportunity to do so often because the Capitol is 2 minutes walking-distance from where Archers live for the semester!)

If you'd like, you can feel free to ask me questions about my experience or simply leave a comment and I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have! I will continue to blog about this wonderful opportunity and share my experiences throughout the month!