Summer Internship: Rural Policy Research Institute
Rural Policy Research Institute
By: Aaron Horsfield
By: Aaron Horsfield
Greetings from our
nation’s capital! Amid the high humidity and copious sightseeing, I have had
the privilege to intern with the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) as the
National Policy Program Intern. RUPRI was founded in 1990 to address the concerns
of members of the Senate Agricultural Committee regarding the lack of data,
information, and analysis surrounding the impact of public policy on rural
communities. The Institute focuses upon research, policy analysis and
engagement, and dissemination and outreach in Health Policy, Poverty and Human
Services, State Policy, and many other areas of work.
This summer, Jocelyn
Richgels, Director of RUPRI’s National Policy Programs, has served as my
preceptor and mentor. She has been monumental in introducing me to the staffers
on the Hill, has allowed me to attend Senate and House briefings not only
related to rural, but to my own interests, and has welcomed me to a variety
meetings with government and collaborative organization leaders. I’ve had the
opportunity to work with leaders from many fields and meet individuals from all
over the world. Outside of attending meetings and briefings, I have produced
topic guides regarding Population Health and the Affordable Care Act and each
respective topic’s impact on the rural community for the Rural Assistance
Center, completed a literature review surrounding food assistance while
currently working on literature reviews for income assistance, early childhood
education and child care, child welfare, and child poverty and am in the early
stages of assessing state models and policies for Family Resource Centers.
Additionally, I have worked with Teresa Kittridge, RUPRI’s Vice President and
COO, on developing content and editing language for the new website as well as
coordinating a social media plan for the organization, and continued my work
with Dr. Mueller surrounding individual state pursuits of Medicaid expansion.
While my internship has
been proved to be educational in many more ways than I could have ever
imagined, I would be remise to exclude the learning experience of moving
halfway across the country:
·
Be flexible on
moving around when committing to blind living situations remotely.
·
Try new food.
·
When you bring an
umbrella, it never seems to rain – when you don’t, it rains.
·
There is a proper
side to stand on on the escalator.
·
I tend to say
sorry a lot when bumping into someone on the Metro – apparently, I’ve been told, it is a Midwest thing.
·
Don’t be afraid to
do something on your own.
·
20-30 minutes
walking somewhere is a breeze – no need to rely on my phone to keep me
preoccupied, this historic city has too much to offer.
·
Meeting new people
is easy. DC is full of young and eager individuals wanting to meet others.
·
I’ve had to limit
saying hi and waving to people I pass, but you can definitely pinpoint and talk
to those from the Midwest.
·
DC rent is
expensive
I am thankful to have had
the guidance of not only Jocelyn, but other University of Iowa and Health
Management and Policy Alumni. Anything is possible in DC. Many people with an
MPH in Health Policy or MHA background have jobs in various facets of the
government, political, and organizational fields.
From the networking happy
hours to joining the Society of Health Policy Young Professionals and the iClub
of DC to the walking monument tours, they say once you have lived in D.C. it is
extremely hard to leave. I am going to have a hard time leaving Washington, but
I have a feeling I’ll be back – someday.
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