During the first weekend in May the Brigham Young University Political Affairs Society DC Chapter hosted current BYU students for a two day mentoring and networking event. Students participated in small group visits to various work-sites through out the city. Students visited sites ranging from the State Department to USAID to Capitol Hill. Besides visiting differentsites students attended a networking evening and a graduate school information evening.
The goal of the event is to help students bridge the gap between their undergraduate education and professional life. One student said, 'It was really helpful in learning all the options, pathways, and opportunities within the agency; getting in contact with government workers is generally pretty difficult, but by being able to have so many of them in one place that were willing to talk and coordinate and give information that is generally not easily available to find made all the difference in the world.'
Beyond BYU provides connections for some students to gain internships and jobs. One student's success story, 'I attended Beyond BYU in 2015 on a whim. I have always wanted to work on the Hill, and the experience seemed like a good opportunity to meet some individuals up there and prepare for a career. I was not expecting the event to be as beneficial as it was. I met a plethora of people during the trip (and got more than a few business cards). I stayed in contact with those individuals until I was back in DC four months later. During that visit, I met with all of them again and was encouraged by the majority to complete an internship in a district office for a Member of Congress in Utah. I did. The internship turned into a full-time job offer last week!'
This event wouldn't be possible without the help of BYUPAS, friends of BYU, and others. As one student stated, 'I learned how eager BYU alumni are to help however they can.'
