She had tried and failed before, but this year, Elizabeth Renda’s hard work proved successful when her name was printed on the list of White House interns for Fall 2013.
Renda, a UF public relations senior from McLean, Va., said she has aspired her entire college career to be chosen for the program.
She, along with Makda Matthew, from Clermont, Fla., were the only two UF students chosen for the internship. As of press time, Matthew couldn’t be reached for comment.
Renda and the other interns have been in Washington since September. However, the list was publicly released last week.
The internship offers students the chance to work in several departments of the White House, including the Office of the First Lady, Office of the Vice President and the Office of Cabinet Affairs.
Renda, who was selected to work in the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, said she works with the liaison to veterans and coordinates White House tours for the Wounded Warriors Project.
“No two days in my office are very similar, and day-to-day tasks vary dramatically,” she said in an email. “The office environment is extremely fast-paced.”
Renda said her time at UF was key in helping her attain the internship.
“As a public relations major … I have learned so much about effective communication and stakeholder outreach, which are crucial skills to my position here at the White House,” she said.
Ana Barrenechea, the director for building alliances for the UF Alumni Association, said when Renda was an intern for her department, she already had her sights set on D.C.
Ron Pierce, the director of Democratic National Committee Constituency Department in Washington, D.C., said Renda was the best choice for the internship. As a 2011 summer intern for Pierce, Renda worked to help organize veterans during the Obama re-election campaign.
“Her getting the internship is not surprising,” he said.
The opportunity will not only benefit Renda when she returns to UF but also after she graduates in Summer 2014, she said.
“In the past two months alone, I have learned more than I ever imagined possible,” she said. “It is a surreal dream to walk into work every day at the White House led by the president who I’ve worked hard to support.”
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 10/30/2013 under the headline "Two UF students chosen for Fall White House internships"
