U.S. Senator Jim Risch opened the door to opportunity and Macee Carpenter has walked through.
The sophomore-to-be at The College of Idaho never traveled beyond Utah before arriving on campus last fall. Now, she is part of Senator Risch’s inaugural group of students taking part in the Idaho International Internship program in Washington, D.C.
Carpenter, who attended Notus High School, began her internship in the national capitol in May and will continue her duties well into August before returning to Caldwell.
“I have been to about 35 meetings and briefings and have been learning an incredible amount of information about the current fragility and transitions within Africa,” Carpenter said of the experience.
One of those meetings included Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald Trump. She was meeting with Risch and others in a roundtable discussion about women, peace, and security strategies.
“My priority in Washington always has and will be advocating for and serving my constituents in Idaho, and that continues to be true as I serve as chairman of the historic Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” Risch said in a press release. “I want to give Idaho’s brightest minds the opportunity to have a front-row seat as we handle major global issues.”
Most of Carpenter’s time has been spent focusing on issues involving Africa. This experience comes just a few months after representing the College at the Model United Nations in New York this spring, where the College won top-delegation honors. Carpenter also teamed with Sara Shockley ’19 to win an award for their position paper.
The Idaho International Intern program was started by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch in his first year as chairman. The internship offers Idahoans the opportunity to work on policy and legislation alongside the committee staff. Interns are an integral part of the staff and are offered the chance to learn through experience while making a meaningful contribution to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply for the fall internship session on the internship page of the committee website.
The College of Idaho has a 128-year-old legacy of excellence. The College is known for its outstanding academic programs, winning athletics tradition and history of producing successful graduates, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three governors, and countless business leaders and innovators. Its distinctive PEAK Curriculum challenges students to attain competency in the four knowledge peaks of humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field—empowering them to earn a major and three minors in four years. The College’s close-knit, residential campus is located in Caldwell, where its proximity both to Boise and to the world-class outdoor activities of southwest Idaho’s mountains and rivers offers unique opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. For more information, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.