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Courtney Ball

Courtney Ball, a junior and Political Science major from Lake Placid, FL,  participated in the intensive, week-long  “Politics and the Media” seminar in January, 2011.

“It was a great experience,” said Ball.  “I have had an interest in politics since my senior year in high school, and this experience really opened up my mind to combining that interest with the communications field.  I can see myself working as a spokesperson for a non-profit organization one day.” 

Like many FSC students, Ball has high ambitions.  “I plan to pursue a career in communications but would ultimately like to hold elective office as a United States Senator some day.”  

Retired Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) was one of several speakers at the seminar who inspired and educated Ms. Ball. 

Other notables who served in the January academic seminar program included P.J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State of the Bureau of Public Affairs, United States Department of State, Dana Bash, Senior Congressional Correspondent for CNN, Brian Lamb, CEO of C-SPAN, and Brett Baier, Anchor for Fox News.  Ball was able to engage P.J. Crowley in a discussion related to human trafficking, and she recalls this as one of the highlights of her experience.

“Biases that exist in the media were covered at the seminar,” said Ball.  “Listening to speakers, visiting a wide range of politically-involved organizations in Washington D.C., and completing many writing and study projects, resulted in a very busy week.” 

Ball says that visiting The National Press Club, a social and business organization for journalists that has been a Washington institution for more than a century, was an experience she will never forget. 

Ball said also that she hopes for a continued relationship between TWC and Florida Southern College.  “These internships and seminars are very important and absolutely needed in today’s job world.  Even as many as two or three internships are needed on a résumé, and the opportunities they provide for networking is also a great benefit.” 

Dr. Bruce Anderson, Associate Professor of Political Science at Florida Southern College, echoes Ms. Ball’s enthusiasm for the value of the educational opportunities offered to students by The Washington Center.   “The Washington Center program is rapidly becoming a centerpiece for internship and seminar opportunities for our Political Science students here at Florida Southern College. We have another student who will be traveling to the program this May to participate in "Top Secret,” a seminar on Intelligence Services.   It is truly a superior program, with all the elements sought after by our students -- internship, classroom experiences, and Washington events -- in one package.”

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