By JANINE PANIK
A BYU student had a small impact on the message coming from the White House for the past five and a half months.
Amy Bice, a senior from Rexburg, Idaho, majoring in public policy, recently returned to Provo from Washington, D.C., after completing an internship in the Communications Department in the West Wing of the White House. While there, she worked directly with the department deputy director.
According to Bice, the White House Communications Department has the responsibility of coordinating with all the departments in the executive branch to develop the message the White House wants to send to the American people.
Bice’s duties in the Communications Department enabled her to become familiar with information from all the departments. She also stayed on top of current events and acted as a filter by deciding what information was important.
Working in the West Wing was a unique opportunity for Bice. According to Scott Dunaway, Washington Seminar managing director, Bice was the first BYU intern to be placed in the West Wing and was the only intern working in the Communications Department during her stay.
Bice was surprised when she learned of her assignment for the Washington Seminar.
“I really wanted to go to the White House, but I had no idea what would happen when I applied,” she said.
Bice said it was a wonderful learning experience. She said she learned the practical applications of the information she is learning in her classes.
“I got a taste of the real world,” she said. “It was a little frustrating at times.”
Bice said she realized that people working in the government are just trying to make the government run as they think it should be.
She said she had many exciting experiences while serving in the Communications Department. She said it was fun to walk down the hall and pass Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Attorney General Janet Reno and even President Clinton on occasion. She was also able to meet with Hillary Clinton and converse briefly with her.
Her position in the department also gave Bice the opportunity to be involved in the State of the Union address, which she said was one of her greatest experiences.
Bice said her internship opened many doors and she is keeping in touch with acquaintances in Washington, D.C., for a possible return in a few years
