State of the Union

Goodbye, Capitol Hill. Hello, Space City!

After another successful semester at the nation’s capital, the Bauer in D.C. Fellows are back in Houston, newly transformed from their months of professional and personal experiences.

Prior to starting the fellowship, all six participants secured their own internships in Washington, D.C. Throughout the semester, students completed their academic courses remotely, while living and working in the capital. Finance student Nancy Egharevba finished her junior year interning for Jenkins for D.C., and feels she’s more civically engaged because of it.

“I was shy before going to D.C., but my internship was people-facing, so I had to learn to put myself out there,” Egharevba said. “Coming back to Houston, I'm not as scared to approach people anymore. I feel like the world is my oyster.”

Rising finance senior Smeet Parekh spent the majority of his time at the Capitol, interning for U.S. House Majority Leader Steven Scalise of Louisiana. He said his favorite part of the experience was meeting government officials and learning more about the legislative process.

“I enjoyed gaining an understanding of how the House works as a whole,” he said. “Through the office that I worked in, I saw how interconnected both the Democratic and Republican parties can be, and how bills work their way through the House and Senate.”

Ramsha Khan (BBA ‘26) spent her final semester in college as a Bauer in D.C. Fellow. The management information systems alumna said exploring the city was her favorite part of the learning away experience.

With the semester behind her, Khan said she feels more self-assured in the decisions that she makes.

“It made me more confident in the possibility of moving outside of Houston for work,” Khan said. “I’ll be working in Houston for a consulting firm, but the fellowship inspired me to look at graduate schools as well.”

The Spring 2026 group of Bauer in D.C. Fellows also included Rashi Kaur, Maria Masood and Zoya Mohiuddin.

“Being a Bauer in D.C. Fellow made me realize how achievable my goals are with the right amount of effort and persistence,” Kaur said. “Even though everyone comes from different backgrounds and starting points, closing that gap is completely possible if you are willing to put in the work.”

“Being in a completely new environment pushed me to become more independent and adaptable both personally and professionally,” Masood said.

“I worked with a supportive and encouraging team at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, where I contributed to initiatives focused on civic engagement and education for middle school students,” Mohiuddin said. “Overall, my time in D.C. was both rewarding and memorable.”

Learn more about Bauer in D.C. here.