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Nkoli Udeorji Selected for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Internship
Occidental College sophomore Nkoli Udeorji, a diplomacy and world affairs major from Los Angeles, has been admitted to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s highly selective summer internship program.
Starting June 1, Udeorji will perform a range of tasks in the Washington, D.C., office of Rep. Diane Watson, D-Los Angeles. She will receive a $2,500 stipend.
The Manhattan Beach Mira Costa High School graduate hopes to one day join the American Foreign Service and serve as an ambassador. Her current studies center on African politics. In Washington, Udeorji will learn about legislative and administrative processes of a congressional office while also participating in roundtable discussions with Congressional Black Caucus members, federal government officials, and other public policy experts to gain insight on critical issues facing the United States.
Additionally, Udeorji will take part in cultural enrichment activities that include visits to national monuments, African American historical sites, museums, art galleries and embassies of African countries. The CBCF also collaborates with organizations such as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute to allow interns to network with students with similar interests.
“The CBC Congressional internship will give me a deeper understanding of the legislative process, and by working with Rep. Watson and her staff – and attending various CBC-sponsored events – I will gain the necessary leadership skills that are required to be a successful foreign service officer,” Udeorji said.
“I am very grateful to the Congressional Black Caucus, The Honorable Diane Watson and internship coordinator Richard Butler for selecting me for this nationally competitive internship,” she added.
The CBCF Congressional Internship Program was established in 1986 to give graduating high school seniors and full-time college undergraduates an in-depth orientation to Capitol Hill.