Third Law Intern Working at Brookings Institution
This fall, a recent law graduate will be the third law intern at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. as part of a new academic partnership between the public policy research organization and Washington University.
- Law student Anna Ulrich works with Darrell
West, head of Governance Studies at the
Brookings Institution. Photo by Andy Alonso
This past summer, Ryan Kusmin and Anna Ulrich, now second-year law students, served as the law school’s inaugural Brookings Institution Interns, working on various public policy projects. Pooja Kadakia, JD ’09, was selected to intern there this fall.
Ulrich, who was assigned to a research project aimed at improving media coverage of education reform issues, observed: “I felt incredibly lucky to be brushing shoulders on a daily basis with some of the world’s leading political scholars and journalists. I came to law school hoping to pursue a career in education policy, and this past summer I had the incredible opportunity of researching education reform issues for the leading policy organization in the country.”
Last spring, the University announced the alliance with Brookings, which is designed to facilitate joint programs in Washington, D.C. The Brookings Institution is known for its stature as a nonprofit, public policy organization that conducts high-quality, independent research and provides innovative, practical policy recommendations.
As a result of the partnership, the law school already is enhancing its programs in Washington, D.C., including expanding its longstanding Congressional and Administrative Law Program to year-round offerings. The law school community also will have access to a new speakers series, scholar-in-residence exchange program, and faculty collaboration on research projects.
Kent Syverud, dean and the Ethan A.H. Shepley University Professor, has taken a leading role in developing University opportunities in Washington, D.C., and is serving as the new associate vice chancellor of Washington, D.C., programs, in addition to his ongoing role as dean and professor.
“The new alliance with the Brookings Institution offers the law school an exceptional opportunity to build on our existing, strong D.C. programs,” Syverud said. “It will allow us to expand our presence in Washington, a city of particularly strong interest to our students, faculty, and alumni.”
Other highlights of the University–Brookings academic partnership include the Olin Business School assuming management of Brookings’ executive education activities and the creation of a jointly funded venture capital fund to support programs and initiatives.
The partnership between Brookings and Washington University could be considered a reunion of old friends. Turn-of-the-last-century St. Louis businessman Robert S. Brookings (1850–1932) both founded the D.C.-based think tank and, as leader of Washington University’s governing board for 33 years, laid the foundation for the University to become the world-renowned institution it is today.
After helping to found the Institute for Government Research (IGR), the forerunner of the Brookings Institution, in 1916, Brookings established the Graduate School of Economics and Government in Washington, D.C., as part of the University in 1923. It became independent of the University in 1924, and in 1927 was combined with IGR and a third organization to become the Brookings Institution.
