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Lindsay Shulman ’05 (Hingham, Ma.) is creating an illustrious resume that includes a summer internship for Sen. John Kerry and a position on the Congressional Relations team at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. But as she is discovering, it’s not just what you know, it’s also whom you know.
After learning of her interest in serving in another internship in Washington, D.C., through another Lafayette alumnus, Peter Jacoby ’81, head of legislative affairs at AT&T, chose her for a summer-long internship working in law and government affairs.
“Our interns come from really good schools,” says Jacoby, an international affairs graduate. “Certainly the school plays some part. I would be inclined to take another intern from Lafayette.”
In a department primarily involved with educating members of Congress about AT&T’s business and how legislation would affect it, her main duties involved the organization and education of staff and members of Congress. Shulman, an international affairs major and Spanish minor, coordinated a briefing that dealt with AT&T’s new Voice over Protocol technology, which would allow telephone calls to be made via the Internet.
“It was very challenging to become familiar with telecom policy and technology,” Shulman says. “However, it was great to get an inside look at how relations are created between the private sector and the Hill. Also, it was an invaluable experience to see how these relationships develop and can influence policy.”
“It was intimidating at times conversing with legislative staff,” she admits. “I felt the research and speaking skills that I have developed at Lafayette helped me tremendously with this aspect of my internship.”
Jacoby also found that Lafayette provides a solid liberal arts foundation. “Lafayette certainly gave me a good grounding and piqued my interests in government,” he says.
Due to her proficiency in organizing the briefing, Jacoby asked Shulman to organize a Congressional briefing trip to AT&T’s headquarters in New Jersey.
“She came in very new and not really exposed to what corporations do in terms of government affairs,” Jacoby says, “and by the end of the summer, she gained more knowledge of the new technology, better people skills, and exposure to members of Congress.”
Shulman says, “I think the most positive aspect of my experience at AT&T was the people that I had the opportunity to work with. Peter would always take time to explain and keep me aware of everything that was going on around me. I don’t think I could have asked for a better and more well-rounded experience.”
Her greatest reward of the summer was working on the Congressional Relations team at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Positioned at the entrance to the podium, she was able to meet and interact with several members of Congress, including Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), who recognized her at the convention.
She credits her involvement with the team to the help and connections of Jacoby.
“I was so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Peter, and without him I would not have been able to have such an amazing experience at the convention and AT&T this summer,” she says.
Jacoby reciprocates his satisfaction with Shulman’s experience as an intern at AT&T.
“I hope that she learned about the legislative process, how a corporate government affairs office works, and whether or not this is a career that she would like to have after Lafayette. We’re certainly happy that Lindsay worked with us this summer,” he says.
Shulman is co-founder of Lafayette’s Smoke Free Coalition, membership chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and a member of the Health Organization Team and former member of the field hockey team. She studied abroad in Seville, Spain during spring 2004. She is a graduate of Thayer Academy.