From Seaborne Drive to Capitol Hill: PCA Grad Jenna Mayes Interns in Washington

For Jenna Mayes, Valedictorian of Portsmouth Christian Academy’s Class of 2022, studying political science at George Washington University (GW) has been about more than just lectures and textbooks. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., GW offers students a unique opportunity to explore politics not only in theory but also through real-world experience. For Jenna, combining academic study with internships helped her begin shaping the direction of her future career.

“A political science degree is so vast in the topics it covers, and you can make your degree your own in the classes you pick,” Jenna said. During her time at GW, she intentionally explored different areas of political science through electives, extracurriculars, and internships. By pairing those experiences together, she was able to narrow down the policy areas she feels most passionate about and begin identifying the kind of work she hopes to pursue next.

Jenna recently completed her degree in the fall semester, a milestone that came with both excitement and challenge. Like many students nearing graduation, she found herself balancing multiple commitments at once.

“I was juggling school, an internship, and a job, all while trying to enjoy all the ‘lasts’ I was experiencing,” she said. Managing those responsibilities often brought stress, but it also led to an important realization. “I felt I was always too caught up in thinking about the future that I wasn’t actually enjoying all the exciting things I was getting to do.”

Through that experience, Jenna learned the importance of staying present and remaining open to opportunities as they arise. Instead of trying to plan every step ahead, she now approaches the future with greater flexibility and trust that the right opportunities will come at the right time.

During her internship with Congressman Chris Pappas’s office, Jenna experienced firsthand the fast-paced nature of working on Capitol Hill. One moment in particular tested her ability to manage competing priorities.

She was working on multiple assignments at once, including drafting a letter and researching a bill, when she was asked to attend a policy briefing and take notes for a staff member. The meeting lasted nearly two hours and covered a complex topic she had little prior knowledge of, leaving her with pages of notes to turn into a memo.

With only half an hour left in the workday before leaving for several days, Jenna had to quickly decide how to manage the workload. She completed one task before leaving and communicated with staff members about updated timelines for the others. The experience strengthened her time management skills and reinforced the importance of communication in a dynamic office environment.

Her time in the congressional office also gave her a deeper perspective on public service. While Congress often faces criticism in public discourse, working behind the scenes allowed Jenna to see the dedication of those who serve.

“The people I worked with in Congressman Pappas’s office were all extremely kind, dedicated individuals who work very hard for New Hampshire’s First District,” she said. Despite facing criticism and even harassment as part of the job, the staff members remained focused on serving their constituents.

Jenna saw firsthand how demanding that responsibility can be. Public servants must listen to and respond to a wide range of opinions from constituents, often balancing competing perspectives while working to represent an entire district.

“Public service means representing everyone, responding to every piece of outreach, and writing down every comment,” she explained. “The number of different opinions being given by constituents every day is huge.”

Looking back, Jenna also recognizes how much her time at PCA prepared her for the academic rigor of college and the professional expectations of internships.

“I really under-appreciated how important it was that PCA is a college prep school until I came to college and realized my experience and education were very different from many of my friends,” she said.

During high school, Jenna took advantage of PCA’s rigorous academic opportunities, including honors, AP, and dual enrollment courses. By the time she arrived at GW, she had already earned 30 transfer credits, allowing her to complete most of her general education requirements early and graduate a semester ahead of schedule.

She also credits PCA’s emphasis on writing for preparing her well for the demands of a political science major, where many assignments involve research papers and analytical writing.

“The writing skills I gained at PCA have helped me immensely as most of the assignments I had as a political science major were papers,” she said. “So I would say that everyone should really pay attention in Mr. Foley and Mr. Beal’s classes. Especially when writing in-class essays, being able to write quickly and well is super important in college and in the world of politics.”

As Jenna looks ahead to the next chapter, her time in Washington has helped clarify both the challenges and the rewards of working in public service. With a strong academic foundation and valuable experience on Capitol Hill, she continues to pursue opportunities that align with the policy issues she cares about most.