Wendy Zeng
Hi everyone! I’m Wendy, a third year studying Society and Environment. During the Fall 2025 semester, I interned at the Department of Justice, United States Trustee Executive Office where I tracked bankruptcy law cases, observed court cases, and tracked news developments.
Outside of my internship, I had an incredible time visiting museums, exploring the DC restaurant scene, hiking through waterfalls, watching the Nutcracker, hearing a Supreme Court case, and making new friends and memories.
Feel free to reach out to wendyzeng@berkeley.edu. Happy to provide guidance on the internship search or DC adventures 🙂
Lena Ramos
Hello everyone! My name is Lena Ramos, and I am a third-year student majoring in Legal Studies and minoring in Human Rights. I was part of the Fall 2025 cohort and interned at the Supreme Court of the United States in the Office of the Curator!
As a Supreme Court intern, I had the pleasure of sitting in on oral arguments and working among some of the brightest minds. During my time as an intern, I gave courtroom lectures (yes—inside the actual courtroom!!) and educated members of the public on the history and functions of our wonderful Court. Before even applying to UCDC, I didn’t know it was possible to intern at the Supreme Court as an undergraduate. It was an absolute dream internship, and I am incredibly grateful for the exposure UCDC gave me.
D.C. opened so many doors for me. I realized how many career opportunities were within reach. It was an important moment of self-discovery that helped solidify my future career goals. UCDC also introduced me to some of my best friends. My roommates and I quickly grew very close, and we had so much fun exploring the city. There is so much to do—visiting the Smithsonian museums, trying new restaurants, and shopping in Georgetown. There is no better feeling than meeting up with your girls for dinner after a long day of work. I am so thankful UCDC allowed me to meet so many wonderful people.
If you have any questions about the application process, securing an internship, or D.C. life in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at lenaaramoss05@berkeley.edu. I would love to help in any way 🙂
Itzel Landeros Nunez
Hi everyone! My name is Itzel Landeros (she/her), and I am a senior transfer student at UC Berkeley majoring in Political Science and minoring in Public Policy. I participated in UCDC in Spring 2025, where I interned with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S. As a Communications Intern, I gained hands-on experience creating and adapting content across social media, analyzing engagement data, and using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro to craft fact-checked, engaging stories. Before DC, I thought advocacy could only happen through legislation, but through my internship I realized how powerful communications can be in advancing equity and shaping policy conversations.
Beyond my internship, DC gave me so many unforgettable moments—exploring the Smithsonian museums, going to sports games, attending President Jimmy Carter’s funeral procession, and forming close friendships with my roommates. I also traveled with friends to Philadelphia and New York, and even visited Yale and Harvard Law Schools. It was my first time on the East Coast, and those experiences exposed me to new possibilities and reminded me that none of my goals are out of reach. I loved DC for what it was and what it meant to me: it showed me that I belong in professional advocacy and communications spaces not in spite of my background, but because of it.
If you’re considering UCDC but feel unsure, I’ve been there. Writing my statement of purpose took me a long time because I questioned whether I was “enough” to be in this space. But trust me, you are. Your perspective is needed, and your ambition and curiosity are more than enough reasons to apply. If you’d like to chat about advocacy internships, navigating UCDC as a transfer student, or just want some bookstore or museum recommendations, feel free to reach out to me at ilanderos26@berkeley.edu. Take some of my belief in you as you start believing in yourself, you are more than ready for this experience.
Ally Matheson
Hi! My name is Ally Matheson (she/her) and I am a senior double-majoring in Legal Studies and Geography with a minor in Human Rights. I participated in the Fall 2025 UCDC cohort, interning for Congresswoman Kim Schrier (D-WA-08). I originally wanted to participate in UCDC to see if I wanted to live in Washington, D.C. after I graduate and to explore possible career paths. What I ended up getting out of the program was so much more than what I expected. Not only did I fall in love with D.C. and working on the Hill, but I also found an incredible group of friends and had the best college semester yet!
My time at UCDC completely shifted my goals post-college and changed the way I view Congress. Working for the Congresswoman was an amazing experience and I learned so much about the work of staffers and how Congress functions (or doesn’t lol). Before UCDC, I had planned to go straight into law school; this experience made me decide to wait a few years and try to get a job working in Congress.
I remember being worried that I would not get an internship and nervous about living across the country for a semester. If you are considering UCDC, even if you’re really not sure yet, feel free to reach out to me. My email is: allycatswim@berkeley.edu. From application support to D.C. food recommendations, I am here to help in any way that I can!
Olivia Rizk
Hi everyone!! My name is Olivia Rizk and I am a third-year majoring in Political Science and minoring in Politics, Philosophy, and Law. I participated in UCDC during the Spring 2025 semester, where I served as the interim staff assistant and first intern for the first quarter of a freshmen congressional office on Capitol Hill. During this time, I helped establish daily operations, trained fellow interns, inaugurated our office’s tour program, led Capitol tours, drafted memos and official correspondence, conducted legislative research, attended hearings and briefings, and compiled daily press clips. I then continued my work this past summer in the congressman’s District Office, where I focused on casework and constituent services.
Outside of my internship, I loved exploring the Smithsonian museums with my roommates (the Postal Museum was my fav), visiting the monuments at night with the entire cohort, and traveling up the East Coast with friends. More than anything, I cherish the friendships that developed during my semester in D.C and I am grateful to have been in our nation’s capital during such a pivotal time.
If you’d like to talk about navigating living in D.C, finding an internship, classes, or anything UCDC feel free to reach out to me at oliviatrizk@berkeley.edu. I’d love to connect and help however I can!
Eric Zhu
Hello everyone! My name is Eric, and I am a senior pursuing a degree in legal studies. I was a part of the spring 2025 UCDC cohort and I had the wonderful experience of interning at a nonpartisan nonprofit organization at APIAVote. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding my DC experience.
My time at APIAVote was truly fruitful. For instance, one of the many tasks I was assigned was to research the SAVE Act, which was scheduled to be presented on the Senate floor in March of 2025. In summary, the SAVE Act, if passed, would require proof of citizenship before voting in federal elections. I conducted analysis on the progress of the act, similar bills in the past, and arguments for and against the SAVE Act. Along with the meaningful work I completed in my internship, I had the wonderful opportunity to listen in on the oral arguments for the TikTok v. Garland hearing in the Supreme Court on January 10th. Xavier, my roommate, my friends and I slept and waited outside in the snow the night before in order to get inside the Supreme Court at 8 am the next day. The case was fascinating and it was definitely one of the biggest highlights for my DC experience.
My time at DC was truly life changing and this is not an exaggeration. I’ve completely changed my career directions after my trip to DC, as it was not just a trip filled with unforgettable experiences and meaningful internship work, but additionally, it was also for me a personal and spiritual journey that led me to sharpen my passions and what I want to accomplish with my life. If you are curious and want to ask questions about the UCDC program, or my experience in it, please don’t hesitate to reach out (my email is eric.chen.zhu@berkeley.edu), and we can schedule a chat to talk more about it. I will also have in-person office hours on Wednesdays from 3-5pm in 2422 Dwinelle Hall.