Lander University political science major Ryan McNulty will spend his spring semester as an intern with The Heritage Foundation in the nation's capital under terms of the Washington Semester Internship program sponsored by the University of South Carolina Honors College.
The internship, which is part of Lander's Honors International Program, is a paid position and, in addition to earning course credits, McNulty will witness firsthand the workings of the federal government. The four previous Lander students selected for the program worked in the offices of members of the South Carolina congressional delegation. Interns also can sample cultural opportunities available in Washington when they are not working or attending evening classes.
The Heritage Foundation is an independent, tax-exempt research and educational institution- a think tank- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policy. McNulty is assigned to the foundation's strategic communications department. He said, "I am very excited to be a part of the staff. As an intern, I will have access to the foundation's principle lectures, day trips and special events."
The 21-year-old Jacksonville, Fla., native is an outfielder on Lander's baseball team. But a knee injury he suffered last year required surgery and sidelined him from playing this spring. So he decided to apply for the Washington internship as an alternative.
His grade point average of 4.0 has earned him membership in Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science national honor society. He won Lander's 2011 baseball academic award and has been named to the President's List and the Peach Belt Conference Gold-Level Honor Roll in each of his three years at Lander.
He is vice president of Lander's Political Science Association and a member of the university's People to People chapter.
McNulty is the fifth of five Lander students who have applied for the Washington Semester internship and were accepted. The first was Jeremy Babb, of North Augusta, followed by Andrew Willis, of Williston and Ty Grogan and Conner Lewis, of Greenwood.