Holy Cross alumnus Justin Johnson ’17 spent his summer working on Capitol Hill as an intern for Congressman James E. Clyburn, who represents the sixth district of South Carolina and serves as the House of Representatives Majority Whip. Johnson reflected on his Holy Cross education, which led him to study political science/pre-law at the University of Southern Mississippi.
“This experience built on my long-term interest in government, which I discovered in Coach Charb’s civics class. As a senior at Holy Cross, I was inspired learning about Congress’s structure and how members of Congress build coalitions to advance public policy.
“As a congressional intern in a leadership office, I was fortunate to put my classroom learning into practice. Every Thursday I supported Congressman Clyburn to prepare Democratic members on their policy goals for the upcoming week. Additionally, I sat on the front line of government by answering constituent phone calls and communicating their needs and/or opinion to senior staffers.
“I am grateful for this internship because it has given me significant exposure to national and local issues and the legislative process. Moreover, I am thankful to Holy Cross because I know its strong foundation enabled me to enter this experience prepared and confident. I hope to continue building my experience in government to expand opportunities to all New Orleans children to receive the same high-quality education I was blessed to receive at Holy Cross.”