Risch Welcomes Inaugural Group of Idaho International Interns to D.C.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week welcomed three collegiate scholars from Idaho to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the inaugural group of interns for the Idaho International Internship program.
“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,” said Risch. “I want to give Idaho’s brightest minds the opportunity to have a front-row seat as we handle major global issues, from the rise of communist China, to the threat posed by our adversaries like Iran, and the challenge of humanitarian crises that exist the world over. This first group of interns is made up of three strong young women who no doubt will make Idahoans proud.”
The interns are:
Macee Carpenter
Carpenter is a rising sophomore at the College of Idaho, and is pursuing a double major in political economy and business administration, with a double minor in Spanish language and computer science. A Caldwell native, Carpenter has specific interests in Africa and the Middle East, USAID, environment, cybersecurity, and defense and politico-military issues. She plans to pursue a graduate degree and hopes to work full-time on Capitol Hill one day.
Emma Jensen
Jensen is in her final weeks as a senior at Brigham Young University-Idaho, and is pursuing a degree with a major in political science with an emphasis in foreign affairs and a minor in international studies. She is originally from Caldwell, and has special interests in Eastern Europe, Russia, Central and Southeast Asia. Jensen has previously lived in Ukraine for five months, and hopes to come back to Capitol Hill full-time and pursue a graduate degree.
Claudia Maldonado
Maldonado is a rising senior at Idaho State University, and is pursuing a double major in global studies and Spanish, with a minor in political science. A native of Blackfoot, Maldonado’s areas of interest include human rights, immigration law, and Latin America. She is considering joining the Peace Corps after college, with the ultimate goal of attending law school to study international law.
About the Program
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.
###
