A Night at the Museum

Date: July 12, 6:15 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Location: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
Speakers: House Majority Leader, U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer and Cokie Roberts, Political Commentator, ABC News and Senior News Analyst, NPR News

Few places are more awe-inspiring than the Milestones of Flight gallery at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. Looking at the spacecraft used to first orbit the earth, break the sound barrier and land on the moon, you quickly realize you are not just surrounded by pieces of machinery. You are surrounded by pieces of history.

This scene served as the backdrop for the Partnership’s fifth annual Summer Intern Event. On July 12, more than 1,500 young professionals and college students packed the museum for this unique town hall discussion and career fair. Participants hailed from 49 states and interned or worked at hundreds of different nonprofits, federal agencies, Capitol Hill offices and private firms.

Partnership CEO Max Stier greeted the crowd and pointed out that the thread connecting the incredible artifacts surrounding them was government. He then urged this new generation of students to answer its own call to service and work together in government to address the great challenges of their time.

The event was headlined by two impressive advocates for public service, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and ABC News and NPR Analyst Cokie Roberts. Each delivered remarks followed by a town hall discussion in which Roberts interviewed Hoyer and took audience questions.

During his remarks, Majority Leader Hoyer shared his personal journey into public service. He spoke of how he was making D’s and on the brink of dropping out of the University of Maryland during his sophomore year when he heard then-Senator John F. Kennedy give a speech on campus urging people to get involved in government. Hoyer said that a light turned on, he immediately became an honor student, and by age 27 he was elected to the Maryland state legislature. Hoyer challenged attendees to look beyond themselves and seek opportunities that further the greater good.

After the town hall, interns visited a federal career fair set up throughout the museum. Representatives from 40 federal agencies were present to inform students about the diverse array of jobs available in government. The Partnership’s research has shown that students want a personal connection when searching for career opportunities, in addition to utilizing the Web. The career fair was designed to accomplish just that by fostering discussions between students and recruiters from NASA, Treasury, the CIA, the State Department, Commerce and many others. Conversations continued around crowded agency display tables throughout the evening. Numerous agency representatives commented that the quality of participants at this fair surpassed any they had previously seen.

Attendees were also able to take full advantage of the Museum with exclusive, after-hours access to the exhibits, such as a screening of the IMAX film Roving Mars, which was introduced by real-life astronaut Paul Lockhart — one of several special guests available to students to provide another personal connection with government.

The event was the first effort sponsored by the Annenberg Speakers Bureau through the generous support of the Annenberg Foundation.

Sponsored by:

Additional support provided by:
The Annenberg Foundation

Download Event Flyer

Photos: Doug DeMark Photography

 

© 2007 Partnership for Public Service