Career Development has dedicated March 8–11 to Careers in D.C. Exploration Week, where each day, students can choose to hop into one to two company Zoom visits, info sessions, or panels, to hear about a different career path to potentially explore specifically in Washington, D.C.

Explore the week’s events on this page. RSVP the events you’d like to attend at the RSVP link below. 

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Journalism in D.C. Career Panel

Monday, March 8, 4–5 p.m. PT / 7–8 p.m. ET

Amidst one of the most eventful years in the United States and even the world, understand the different areas of reporting on the difficult events of 2020. 

Moderator: Geoffrey Cowan, University Professor; Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership; former USC Annenberg Dean

Panelists: 

• Will Federman, Director of Digital Audience Dev’t at TEGNA based in DC
• Amanda Becker, Washington Correspondent, The 19th* News
• Rachel Scott, Congressional Correspondent, ABC News

Explore State Department and other PD careers

Tuesday, March 9, 12–1 p.m. PT / 3–4 p.m. ET

Moderator: Robert Banks, Clinical Associate Professor of Communication, Center on Public Diplomacy

Panelists:

• Kelsey Suemnicht, Project Manager & Facilitator, Public Diplomacy Research and Evaluation Unit, State Department 
• Melanie Ciolek, Foreign Affairs Officer, Bureau of International Information Programs, State Department 
• Bret Schafer, Fellow for Media & Digital Information, German Marshall Fund 
• Erica McNamara, Senior Manager, Communications, Global Ties U.S.

PR/communications in D.C. panel

Tuesday, March 9, 4–5 p.m. PT / 7–8 p.m. ET

Besides political journalism and the Hill, there are various careers within PR and Communications in the US Capital that may or may not be politically focused

Moderator: Gary Karr, Senior Group Director, W20 Group (previous: World Food Programme, owned two-person agency, Aetna, AdvaMed, Edelman, CMS, American Insurance Association, Gov. press secretary, reporter) 

Panelists:

• Federal agency: Amanda Fine, Chief, News Media Branch, The National Institutes of Health
• Nonprofit/NGO: Robin Reck, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Emerson Collective
• In-house: Michelle Russo, Chief Communications Officer of U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former EVP, Communications for Discovery Inc.

Careers on Capitol Hill panel

Wednesday, March 10, 4–5 p.m. PT / 7–8 p.m. ET

Dive into the various career paths working on the Hill! Attendees will walk away with a better idea of what working on the Hill entails

Moderator: Christina Bellantoni, Professor of Professional Practice, Director of USC Annenberg’s Media Center

Panelists: 

• Christina Cameron, Media Affairs Advisor, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23)
• Sam Dorn, Communications Director, Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux
• Lauren Maddox, Senior Policy Advisor, Holland & Knight
• Oriana Piña, Director of Hispanic Media at United States Senate

Alumni reception

Thursday, March 11, 2:30–3:30 p.m. PT / 5:30–6:30 p.m. ET

Join alumni for a late afternoon reception on Thursday. 

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Join these events by RSVPing at the link below. 

RSVP