“Maranatha’s mission is to develop leaders for ministry in the local church and the world, “To the Praise of His Glory.” Our students are taught a biblical worldview and a conservative approach to issues. We constantly seek means to a greater focus on how students may have an impact in their world, teaching them to “Go. Serve. Lead.” To support this effort, we have introduced our students to notable individuals involved in Wisconsin government and conservative causes, including Governor Scott Walker, Representative Dale Kooyenga, Secretary of Revenue Richard Chandler, Strategist Eric O’Keefe, Chief of Staff Eric Schutt, and Attorney General Brad Schimel.
In January 2013 Maranatha initiated a scholarship program to encourage students to become more involved with government on the local and state levels. To assist students, we approached members of the legislative and executive branches of the Wisconsin government and asked if there were opportunities for our students to become involved with their offices.
Student Profile Interview | Joel Troutman
Originally from Flemington, New Jersey, May 2014 graduate Joel Troutman spent a summer in Washington D.C. completing the requirements for his Business Management degree internship. After graduation, he was offered a job that allowed him to continue working in D.C.
He has taken the Christian worldview taught in his MBU classes to the United States capitol, where he now influences students from around the country in their own internships.
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Advantage: How did the opportunity for your internship in Washington D.C. arise?
Troutman: I’ve always loved the city and have been fascinated with politics and business since I was young. I was encouraged by Dr. Pfaffe to complete an internship and began searching for internships in Washington during my junior year. I found a company that runs DCinternships.org and has a summer program called the Institute on Business and Government Affairs (IBGA).
Through IBGA, I interned for Les Miller, Senior Attorney at the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI). My official title was Intern to the Deputy General Counsel, and my main project was to do research and create a report on social media and how it related to the manufacturing industry. I also created blog posts from congressional briefings on Capitol Hill and assisted with formatting survey results in reports for different councils.
I interned for eight weeks at MAPI; lived in Foggy Bottom (just steps away from the Metro, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial); had site briefings at the Capitol, Federal Reserve, and the World Bank; and got to go to several work events. By the end of the summer, I knew for sure that I would come back someday and fulfill my dream of living and working in D.C.
Advantage: How did your classes at Maranatha prepare you for your internship?
Troutman: Because of the variety of classes that I took at Maranatha, I felt that my experiences were well-rounded. Many other student interns had a very narrow degree focus (such as Economics) and as such, they excelled in that one area but often lacked in other areas such as general communication or even resume building. I knew enough in a variety of areas that I could assume multiple roles and work on many different tasks.
Advantage: How did your current job open up?
Troutman: The manager of the IBGA program encouraged me at the end of my internship to apply to be the Program Advisor for the next summer. I applied and was then accepted, giving me the opportunity to come back to D.C. right after I graduated in May of 2014. Towards the end of the 2014 summer, The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) approached me and said my manager was being promoted do a different position. They wanted to know if I would be interested in running the IBGA program. I accepted the position and began working as the Associate for the Institute on Business and Government Affairs in September 2014.
So what started as an internship through the program led to being a summer advisor for the program, which then ultimately led to running the program. Right now, I am working on the program for next summer. I recruit students through multiple online mediums, as well as attend student conferences in the area. I also work with companies and organizations throughout D.C. to get them to take an intern for the summer program. Once the spring rolls around, I will begin the process of matching those accepted students with internship sites around the city. Then in June, we welcome all the students and guide them through the summer program.
Advantage: What is something that you were taught at Maranatha that you have brought to your new job?
Troutman: Stand up for what you believe, but do it respectfully. You will earn the respect of your friends and co-workers if you take a stand for something (even if they disagree with you) as long as you do it humbly and respectfully.
Public Affairs Internship Scholarship