Skip to main content
Student Spotlights

Ashlyn Owens: Political Science

Ashlyn was a cultural diplomacy and education intern for Washington Performing Arts during Fall 2022.

What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?

I learned how to address foreign leaders and important higher end contacts that lived in DC! I also had an increased knowledge of how to interact with the world around me. As a girl living in Provo, UT we do not have the most global audience or peer group, so this internship was crucial in expanding my worldview!

How have your future plans changes because of what you learned from your internship experience?

I finally narrowed down what I am wanting to do with my future! This is the first time I felt a clear path into what I am needing to do. Like mentioned before, I felt way more optimistic about my plans post-graduation. I still have two years left, but I feel more at peace with the knowledge I have gained.

One of the primary purposes of experiential learning at BYU is inviting the inspiration of the Spirit into your learning. How were you inspired during this experience?

I worked with a variety of diverse, incredible, different people. I loved learning and working with other people of different faith backgrounds, it was fascinating being able to have open-minded conversations about our beliefs. As always, I am constantly reminded of God's love for others. This internship reminded me that all of them were beloved by the same individual. How cool that we all come from different religions and backgrounds and are still loved by the same being?I learned so much about how others view spirituality and have even gained some of their practices for myself!

Would you recommend this internship to other students, why?

Absolutely. BYU Washington Seminar changed my life. I became way more comfortable with myself and my identity, I learned and grew exponentially in a professional sense, and gained a surprisingly greater sense of of patriotism! Everyone needs the chance to broaden their horizons like these internships provide.

Is there anything else you would like to say regarding your internship?

I truly had the best time. My entire worldview was changed, and I feel so blessed that BYU was able to facilitate and provide this experience for me.

Ashlyn in DC.
Ashlyn Owens, Kathy Brewington, & Michelle Hoffmann at the Capitol Tree Lighting that our gospel choir performed at!