Matsui Center Washington Fellows

UCDC Spring 2026: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in the Heart of the Nation

April 16, 2026
Monserrat Patino Real

Hi everyone,

My internship on the Field and Constituencies team at the National Immigration Forum involves varied daily tasks, primarily supporting the Badges and Faith branches of the organization. For the Badges program, I research law enforcement, gather newsclips for the newsletter, and analyze website metrics. My work within the Faith branch centers on promoting immigration dialogue within faith communities. Specifically, I concentrate on programs such as Students of Welcome, Women of Welcome, and We Choose Welcome, all of which aim to...

UCDC Spring 2026: Finding Connections and Community in D.C.

April 16, 2026
Mohammad Nasrat

Greetings from D.C.

As a congressional intern at the United States House of Representatives, my day-to-day responsibilities vary. They include providing support to staff members, assisting constituents with their issues, logging concerns into the House of Representatives platform, answering phones, providing tours, and performing various administrative tasks. I also attend briefings on critical issues—including agriculture, military modernization, and the armed forces—and draft memos and emails for senior staff.

...

UCDC Spring 2026: My “Magnum Opus”: Using Code for Creative Problem-Solving

April 16, 2026
Lucas Maldonado

Greetings from DC!

I’m currently a Membership Intern at the World Affairs Councils of America, which is a non-profit that does global affairs education through its network of 90 councils across the country. On a day-to-day basis, I keep track of emails from our general inbox, upkeep tables with different information on council events, and supervise our membership database.

Speaking of which, these past few weeks my “Magnum Opus” of sorts has been cleaning our members’ database. It suffered from having hundreds of “...

UCDC Spring 2026: “Do it Afraid”: Becoming a Changemaker by Mobilizing Neighboring Communities

April 16, 2026
Kalie Jimenez

Greetings from DC:

My time in D.C. has been a one-of-a-kind experience that I am thrilled to share with my peers. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be spending my Spring semester interning for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). As a Chamber Relations Intern, I support the department in strengthening engagement with USHCC’s national network of local Hispanic Chambers. Day-to-day, I assist with the development and execution of chamber programming for the USHCC National Events, research Hispanic...

UCDC Fall 2025: The Sense of Purpose That Came with Each Day

April 16, 2026
Christian Dieguez

As I left the Rayburn House Office Building for the last time, I walked to the front of the Capitol and took a moment to pause. It truly felt surreal knowing that my internship has come to an end. Watching political events unfold and seeing these historic buildings on the news is one thing, but actually being here, walking these halls, and participating in this work is something entirely different.

Spending a semester in D.C. was truly a dream come true. One of the things I enjoyed most about my here was the sense of purpose that came with...

UCDC Fall 2025: A Tight-Knit City Full of Policy, Statecraft, and Competing Ideas

April 16, 2026
Lizzie Ong

To preface, this blog post was created for a university audience and captures some of my personal experiences in Washington, D.C. as a Matsui Center Washington Fellow of the Fall 2025 UCDC Cohort.

In Washington D.C., I met peers who inspired me, professionals who motivated me, and had brief passing moments with some interesting people on Embassy Row. On the last day of my internship, I was walking back to the UCDC Center and feeling sentimental about my time as an intern ending when I was stopped by a group of warm but serious-looking...

UCDC Fall 2025: A Symbol of D.C.: Turning an Intimidating Environment into a Beautiful Experience

April 16, 2026
Gwen Tam

I spent my last day in D.C. at my cousin’s house on the outskirts of Georgetown. I slept on the couch, and the blinds had been left open overnight, so when the morning sun made its way across the wooden floors to wake me from my slumber, the first thing I saw on my final day was snow, drifting to the ground like dandelion seeds.

It felt like the universe’s gift to me on my last day. I remember when I first landed in D.C., the humidity was instantly overbearing, all-encompassing, and almost suffocating. This tranquil sendoff felt like the...

Daniela Rodas

Fall 2021
2021 Washington Fellowship - Fall
Placement: International Law Institute Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Daniela Rodas is a public health and operations professional with experience spanning healthcare delivery, migration programs, and compliance-focused program coordination across U.S. government and UN entities. She has supported large-scale initiatives serving vulnerable populations, where she focused on case quality, reporting, and program execution.

Daniela brings both systems-level thinking and frontline perspective to her work. She is particularly interested in how operational...

UCDC Fall 2025: Full and Busy, but Beautiful: Intelligence, Diplomacy, and Finding Wonder in Washington, D.C.

October 11, 2025
Lizzie Ong

I’ve definitely hit the ground running. As a National Security, Intelligence, and International Affairs Research Intern at the Institute of World Politics, I’ve been mentored by an Ambassador, numerous professor-practitioners, a defense contractor, and inspiring academics. I’ve met high-ranking officials in the military, air force, and navy, and the most inspiring non-profit changemakers at the grassroots level. Washington D.C. is an amalgamation of people making an impact not only for the nation, but also for the world.

My Monday mornings...

UCDC Fall 2025: "Still Here": Holding Ground and Advocating at LULAC Through a Government Shutdown

December 17, 2025
Ines Alvarado

Serving as a Fellow at a national civil rights organization in Washington, D.C. means learning quickly that policy work does not pause, even when everything around it feels unstable. During my time at the LULAC National Office, my fellowship unfolded amid a government shutdown, shifting federal priorities, and heightened political uncertainty.

For the communities most impacted by policy decisions, waiting is not an option.

At LULAC, I supported research and federal policy advocacy, including engagement with the...