When University of Pennsylvania student Martine White heard that Philadelphia had won the bid to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, she knew that she wanted to be a part of history. 

For the last 12 months, White, a rising senior from Broomall, Pa., has worked as an intern with the Philadelphia Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention, a non-partisan, non-profit organization.

A political science major and economics minor, White says her studies at Penn have prepared her to be right in the midst of this historic election cycle. 

In her sophomore year, White took Who Gets Elected and Why: The Science of Politics, taught by Edward G. Rendell, the former governor of Pennsylvania who chairs the DNC Host Committee. In that class, she learned about campaign financing and spending, television advertising, the political press and social media. 

During her internship, White has had the chance to bring these lessons to work for the Host Committee preparing newsletters, coordinating press events, managing social media accounts, researching various transportation plans for operations and logistics, as well as measuring the convention’s environmental impact. 

“At Penn, I have been able to take a wide range of classes in the Political Science Department: from American Politics to the International Political Economy to Religion and Politics,” White explains. “Each class has provided me with different analytical and communicative skills that are essential in the workplace.” 

For the past month, though, she’s been working as a finance assistant in the DNC Host Committee’s finance department, compiling sponsorship packages and providing convention-related donor engagement. 

Newcomer Zachary Nash, a rising sophomore and economics major from Fairfax, Va., joined White just last month as a finance intern. 

Together, White and Nash are working on a number of projects, including coordinating with local companies to showcase Philadelphia and the region. They also help co-sponsors find opportunities to become a part of the convention and assist the Host Committee’s Chief Financial Officer Jason O’Malley and the finance team with correspondence, managing documents and spreadsheets and doing research. 

During the week of the Democratic National Convention, July 25-28, Nash and White will staff Host Committee events continuing to support the finance team in its operations and working with the convention’s sponsors and their guests. 

“Philadelphia is a fantastic city. It is the birthplace of our democracy and a world heritage site,” White says. “I see it as an honor and a privilege to represent Penn and Philadelphia at this convention.” 

Nash says, “There will be so many events that week, inside and outside the arena, from receptions to caucus meetings to policy panels. My role is to assist the finance team with whatever they need to make the convention run smoothly.” 

For Nash, the internship has taught him about how convention funding and how all of the elements come together to organize such a major event. But, it’s much more. 

“I’m working full-time and living by myself, so it is the first real-world experience that I am getting,” says Nash. “More importantly, it feels like we are a part of history. We will be there when everything happens, which is the most exciting part to me.” 

White adds this internship has taught her about financial planning, proper protocol, logistics, taking on projects from start-to-finish, building mutually beneficial corporate relationships and honing her organizational skills. 

“It is truly a remarkable experience to be a part of what is sure to be a most historic convention and I feel lucky to be part of something so special,” White says. 

As a perk, the two undergraduates have been able to rub elbows with the political elite, including working alongside Rendell and the DNC Host Committee’s co-chair, Michael A. Nutter, the former mayor of Philadelphia. 

“I have been fortunate to meet President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden during their visits to Philadelphia,” White says. “Two weeks ago, Gov. Rendell hosted a dinner for the interns and shared with us his experiences working in public service and with past conventions.” 

Nash says the dinner with Rendell was his favorite part so far, having the opportunity to meet the former governor in an informal setting.