News

National Security Interns Visit D.C. Think Tanks

June 23, 2026

National Security Policy Center interns had the chance to meet with influential policy thinkers during a Washington, D.C. trip last week! 

On Wednesday, June 17th, over a dozen students—including nine members of the NSPC’s 2026 Summer Internship cohort and seven students participating in NSPC-sponsored internships this year–met for a field trip in the city.  

The group started the day at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a defense policy think tank. Hearing from a panel of experts that included Senior Fellow Dr. Travis Sharp, interns learned more about the work and purpose of think tanks, the functions they serve in policy circles, and how they operate within the broader US-defense and national security apparatus.  

Their next stop was the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a public policy think tank focused on defense and national security, geopolitics and foreign policy, economic security and technology, and global development. Interns heard from a panel of junior CSIS staffers from the Australia Chair, Middle East, and Europe, Russia, and Eurasia programs, learning more about the Center’s globally minded work.  

Interns finished the day at the International Spy Museum where they toured the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display. Exhibits and learning experiences put an engaging spin on contemporary espionage, covert action, and spycraft topics.  

Our thanks to Dr. Travis Sharp, Casey Nicastro, Dao Tran, John Steinmeyer, and Eleanor Shiori Hughes from CSBA and John Auge, Lexi Linafelter, Nicholas Fenton, and Josiane Atallah from CSIS for sharing their time and expertise with us.  

We’d also like to thank Washington Harbour Partners, our summer internship sponsor whose support made this field trip possible.