Each year, the Jackson School takes University of Washington undergrads beyond the classroom and into the heart of U.S. foreign policymaking. For the second annual Washington D.C. spring break trip, 25 students traveled to the nation’s capital from March 22 – March 28 with faculty members Stephen Meyers and Jessica Beyer for a week of immersive meetings spanning the Pentagon, Department of State, the European Union Delegation, the Embassy of Finland; international organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the World Bank; and events like a panel with early career Jackson School alum. We sat down with participants to hear about their experience networking with UW alumni, exploring career pathways, and seeing international relations in action.
Preferred name: Taylor Arredondo
Degree(s): B.A. in Political Science; minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Hometown: Spokane, Washington
Expected to graduate: Fall 2026
What was your highlight from the trip?
A highlight for me was our visit to the Organization of American States! During our visit, we got to see the Francisco de Miranda room which was the original board room for the building in the 1920s. We were able to sit in the original mahogany chairs used by representatives that had the name and crest of each member state carved into them while we learned more about the history of the room. It was incredible to be able to interact with a piece of OAS’s history in that manner, especially as someone who is minoring in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
What were the most important lessons you learned during your time in Washington D.C.?
A lesson I learned during my time in Washington D.C. was that networking is crucial to success. During multiple of our meetings and networking sessions, we were advised to maintain as many of our bridges as possible because who you know is just as important as what you know.
How do you think these lessons will help you in your future career?
This lesson was an important reminder that building my career connections and network is an active practice! Relationship building is a necessary skill for the field of international relations. By placing more value in building my connections I can maintain a network of resources and support that can help transition me into my early career and beyond with ease.
