As The Patman Center approaches its one-year anniversary, we’re excited to highlight Patman Scholar Christy Beauchemin, a second-year Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS) student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. This past year, Beauchemin was awarded The Patman Center’s prestigious scholarship, which supports students interning in an elected official’s office. She spent her internship at the State Capitol, working with Senator Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas).
“It has been incredibly meaningful to work at the capitol every day. I have loved getting to meet with different advocacy and lobbying groups and see how policy is shaped in real-time,” Beauchemin said. “My background is not in domestic policy, so working in the Senate has been a crash course in a variety of state issues. I have especially enjoyed learning about Texas energy policy.”
Before attending LBJ, Beauchemin spent six years in Washington, D.C., working in policy outreach at a think tank, focusing on immigration and displacement issues. This experience sparked her interest in immigration reform.
“I wanted to go from implementing government programs and policies to helping shape them,” Beauchemin said.
Once at LBJ, Beauchemin ran for the Director of Professional Development position at the Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC). She says she was motivated to run because she wanted to give back to the LBJ community and help the students gain the skills they need to succeed after graduating.
“My goal as Director of Professional Development is to provide students with as many opportunities to learn about different careers as possible. We have so many resources and opportunities available to us, and I want to make sure every student is taking advantage of them,” Beauchemin said. “I also believe that the key to getting a job after graduation is through relationship-building, so I want to help students build out their networks and take advantage of the diverse faculty at LBJ.”
Beauchemin credits GPAC as one of the most rewarding parts of her LBJ experience. However, she also enjoyed participating in the Global Crisis Simulation last year. The Global Crisis Simulation is part of the MGPS course curriculum. The class has students role-play as international leaders in a simulation of an international crisis. Students get hands-on experience in negotiation, teamwork, and crisis management.
“The Crisis Simulation was an incredible leadership opportunity and was one of my favorite opportunities at LBJ so far. It taught me a lot about working under pressure and how important teamwork is,” Beauchemin said.
The classes that she’s taken have also been an impactful part of her LBJ experience. Some favorites are Dr. Redei’s Nature of International Systems and Admiral McRaven’s Policymaking and Leadership.
“Dr. Redei’s Nature of International Systems helped me see foreign policy through a new lens. Once you understand how to apply the international relations theories, you start to see them everywhere,” Beauchemin said. “Admiral McRaven’s Policymaking and Leadership was also very influential. His course has changed how I look at leadership and national security. It has also made me reconsider my own career trajectory.”
Beauchemin said that her experience as a Patman Scholar and her internship at the State Capitol have been highlights of her time at LBJ. She emphasized the value of hands-on learning and encouraged fellow students to take advantage of similar opportunities and apply for the scholarship.
“No matter what you are interested in, interning with an elected official will give you better insight into the policy process. As an MGPS student, working in state policy has given me a new perspective on our government, and the lessons I have learned can be applied to all levels of the policy process.”
Applications for Patman Scholarships are accepted on a rolling basis, and more details are available on The Patman Center’s website.