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2015 First-Year Fellow: Sydney Walter '18

Sydney Walter '18 in front of The Charles Group, LLC office on her last week of work.
The Charles Group, LLC is a private consulting firm located near Capitol Hill in Washington, that focuses primarily on national defense, security, and law enforcement lobbying for a range of clients across the country. Full-time employees at the Group specialize in different policy areas and liaison between clients and legislators, working to accomplish an agenda that aligns with the client’s direction or mission. The office is constantly abuzz with visits and phone calls from people ranging from high-ups at aerospace companies to congressional staffers working on a pertinent piece of legislation. The Group is an intersection between government and the private market, and working here requires a deep knowledge of both congressional workings and the clients’ technology and ideology.
 

My favorite part of the fellowship was the congressional hearings I attended, particularly the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Iran Nuclear Deal. I was taking notes for a few clients who have stakes in the unfolding of the deal over the next few years, and sitting there listening to Secretary John Kerry and Senator Marco Rubio exchange fiery banter, thinking about just how stereotypically “DC” the moment was. I also thoroughly enjoyed the talks I had with my mentor, Bobby Charles, about everything including his book on international narcotics trading, his friendship with Colin Powell, or his favorite spot on Dartmouth’s campus.

 
-Written by Sydney Walter '18
 
This series introduces the 2015 First Year Fellows. Each fellow reflects on his or her experience in Washington DC as a First-Year Fellow working with a mentor in public policy.