Megan Pynes, International Relations and Spanish ’18
Megan Pynes attended the UC Davis Washington Program in Fall 2017.
Intern, The Latin America Working Group
“There was no better place for me than D.C. to put the skills I learned at UC Davis to work.”
With interests in foreign policy and international advocacy, what better place for Megan Pynes to be than “the” major political center: Washington, D.C.?
An international relations and Spanish double major, Megan interned with the Latin America Working Group, an organization that promotes human rights in Latin America. She compiled weekly news briefs in both English and Spanish and authored social media posts on Latin American political and social affairs.
Her passion for everything Washington didn’t stop at the office. Taking full advantage of Washington’s political center, Megan attended conferences and rallies – many of these activities addressing the same Latin American political issues she was engaged in at work. Once, Megan even spent the day lobbying with Cuban-Americans.
“My time in D.C. helped me to feel secure in my goal of working for an international advocacy organization to influence U.S. foreign policy and promote human rights around the world,” she said.
Megan spent every other free moment in Washington exploring the countless monuments and museums, and enjoying all that the city has to offer, from eating at favorite restaurants to making new friends who are just as politically active as she. “Any student would gain a lot from living in D.C. and being exposed to the heart of our political system, regardless of their interests.”
Back in Davis, Megan has embarked on a new internship with the International Rescue Committee in Sacramento.
More about the UCDC Program
The UC Davis Washington Program (UCDC) offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students with majors of all kinds – from English to animal science – to live, work, and study for an academic quarter in the nation’s capital. No matter their major, students integrate compelling coursework with exceptional work experience from an array of organizations throughout the Washington, D.C., metro area.
— By Maddy Shiber, writing intern in the UC Davis College of Letters and Science. May 15, 2018.