Bianca Talarico, an English major at Saint Joseph's University, completed The Washington Center’s National Security Seminar and left knowing she wanted a second TWC experience. One year later, she came back to D.C. as part of TWC’s Academic Internship Program.
As a marketing and development intern at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), a nonprofit focused on economic justice and affordable housing, Bianca spent her semester with TWC preparing for a major national conference and ended up on Capitol Hill advocating for the policies her organization exists to protect.
Tell us why you decided to attend our Academic Internship Program?
I applied because I had attended the National Security Seminar, and that one-week experience opened my eyes to opportunities and career paths I had never considered before. I gained so much from just that short time that coming back for the full semester felt like the natural next step.
Tell us about your internship.
At the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, we were preparing for the Just Economy Conference, and being part of that process really stood out to me. It was surreal watching all the moving pieces come together after weeks of preparation. I had contributed to something much larger than any individual task, and seeing it come to life taught me a lot about collaboration, communication and what it takes to work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
What skills and networking opportunities did you gain, and what challenges did you face?
The biggest shift for me was learning to step outside my comfort zone consistently, not just once, but as a daily practice. Whether I was networking with peers, connecting with professionals at internship events or introducing myself in rooms full of people I had never met, I was constantly building communication and relationship skills I had not been pushed to develop in the same way before.
The main challenge was adjusting to a completely new environment while balancing independence with professionalism. Those two things can pull in different directions when you are still figuring out how you want to show up professionally. What helped was just doing it: attending events, taking opportunities even when they felt intimidating and reminding myself that discomfort and growth tend to arrive together. By the end of the semester, I was noticeably more confident in professional settings than I had been at the start.
What were you concerned about when applying?
My biggest practical concern was getting around the city without a car. I was not sure how manageable that would be coming from Philadelphia, where I had more flexibility. What I found was that the D.C. Metro was far more accessible and easier to navigate than I expected, and the city itself is genuinely walkable. Groceries, everyday necessities and the things you worry about when you are living somewhere new, were all within reach.
What was your most exciting experience at TWC?
Without question, it was Hill Day. Through my internship at NCRC, I had the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill and be in the room with representatives to advocate for fair housing and banking policies. That experience felt like everything coming together at once: the organization's mission, the work I had been doing and the city I had spent the semester learning to navigate. I was also able to sit in the gallery and witness the environment firsthand. That is not something you can fully prepare for or replicate anywhere else.
What clarity has this experience given you?
I came into this semester knowing I was interested in writing, politics and social impact, but without a clear picture of how those things connect professionally. This experience helped me see that intersection more concretely. Working at a nonprofit focused on economic justice, contributing to a national conference, and advocating on the Hill all pointed me toward the kind of work I want to do, work that is communication-driven, mission-oriented and connected to policy in some way.
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