Kohawks rise to the occasion with high leverage internships during Washington, D.C. Term
There are powerful experiences at Coe that can simultaneously solidify your career direction and generate lifelong memories. A group of students spending the Fall 2025 term in Washington, D.C. were able to soak in a classic Kohawk trip while making headway in their career choices.
A backbone of Coe’s Washington Term is hands-on learning opportunities. In conjunction with the Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP), students embark on tours, engage in networking events and complete internships to complement coursework. The internships Kohawks landed this year were particularly impactful for the four students in D.C.
Carlie Miller ’27, who is triple majoring in psychology, sociology and social & criminal justice, interned with Bruckheim & Patel which is a small, criminal defense firm. She worked closely with two attorneys in their office. As someone who is gearing up for a career in law, this internship was perfect for courtroom exposure and exploring different facets of the legal field. Miller even used the Coe network to zero in on the opportunity — a good friend who participated in Washington Term the previous year alerted her to the internship.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to develop and progress their careers, and what better city to do it in than our nation's capitol? There are so many amazing opportunities to intern in the legal field in D.C., and I knew this was the best possible experience for both my future career and myself,” Miller said.
The responsibilities and experiences Miller had in her internship included reviewing and summarizing body camera footage, drafting legal documents such as a Notice of Appearance, assisting in trial preparation and preparing Grand Jury witnesses. Miller was able to attend court hearings, prison visits, client meetings and a homicide trial.
Miller entered Washington Term most interested in criminal defense law, but open to all other opportunities, including law school preparation and expanding her law network. After her internship concluded, Miller was able to narrow her focus for her future.
“I am very grateful that I was able to learn and experience criminal law from the defense standpoint, but it also opened my eyes to other areas of law more suited for me. I am interested in exploring future internships in prosecution, personal injury and medical malpractice, as well as corporate law,” Miller said. “Working at a law firm has also helped me set the goal of having my own practice in the future. I could not be more grateful that my time in D.C. was the first step in doing so.”
Landen Powell ’26 secured a position as a labor policy intern on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for ranking member Bernie Sanders. The economics and business administration major stayed busy writing summaries of major labor-related events and submitting a weekly report of all active labor strikes in the country. In addition, Powell regularly participated in committee hearings, conducted labor law research, attended policy events and helped prepare legislative information for Senator Sanders to co-sign.
Powell, who is also considering a career in law, started Washington Term hoping to learn more about labor issues, economics and the political process.
“It was a great life experience and really good preparation for law school,” Powell noted. “It has definitely made me want to continue a labor-related law career.”
Other D.C. work opportunities for Kohawks included internships with Senator Chuck Grassley and the Corn Refiners Association.
The sights, sounds and lessons learned will stick with these Kohawks for years, like they have for many other Coe alumni who have had similar experiences.
“My decision to participate in the Washington Term was truly the best decision I could have ever made. I can speak for my fellow students in the program that this is an incredible experience and it will certainly make a difference in our future careers. I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience D.C., and I have learned so much more than I could have ever imagined. Going to D.C. was definitely outside of my comfort zone, but it was genuinely the best months of my life, and I would not be the person I am today – or the future attorney I will be – without this experience,” Miller said.