Our Current Cohort
Meet Our Spring 2024 Baylor in Washington Cohort!
Drew Ashworth is a Junior from Flower Mound, Texas, studying Corporate Communications, Political Science, and Business at Baylor University. He has previously worked as an intern in international communications at Lockheed Martin. This experience led to his interest in foreign affairs, the defense industry, and military and veteran affairs. Drew is involved in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the student mobilization organization at Baylor. This semester, Drew is interning for United States Senator Josh Hawley followed by another internship with Lockheed Martin. After graduation, Drew plans to pursue work in the defense industry or for the Department of State.
Shea Berthelot is a senior from McKinney, Texas. She is majoring in American, International, and Military studies on the Pre-Law track and is a member of the Honors Program and the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. She has previously interned with Thrive Architects LLC and The Advance Group, where she assisted in efforts to pass the Honoring Our Pact Act. Her main areas of interest are advocacy, legislation, civil rights, and voting rights. Shea has previously served in Student Government as Policy Director, the Director of Extra-University Relations, and as a freshman senator. Shea has also served as public relations chair of the Pre-Law Society at Baylor. This spring Shea is interning at Arnold & Porter. She is a member of the inaugural cohort of the Baylor in Washington Summer Fellowship for Religion and Social Life. Currently, Shea is writing an undergraduate honors thesis on voter suppression. After graduating in May 2024, Shea plans to pursue a career in advocacy in Washington D.C., and later obtain a graduate degree in either public policy or law.
Caroline Carney is a senior majoring in political science and minoring in criminal justice and child and family studies with a pre-law concentration. Caroline is the president of Bears for Life, an anti-abortion student organization. At Baylor, she has been involved with Turning Point USA, Pre-Law Society, Sidewalk Advocates for Life, and works with local pregnancy resource centers. This past summer, as an intern, she worked with child placement and family law cases. Her main areas of interest focus on children’s rights, family policy, and medical freedom. Upon graduating in May of 2024, Caroline plans to attend law school. This spring, she will be interning with the American Enterprise Institute’s Family, Religion, Education, and Entrepreneurship (FREE) Initiative.
Taylor Chung is a junior from Hong Kong studying political science, Arabic, and Middle Eastern studies. He is passionate about creating inclusive structures that help people reach their full potential. Taylor has previously interned with The Carlyle Group, the Department of State, and the Department of Agriculture where he worked to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for employees across the globe. At Baylor, Taylor has served in the Asian Students Association and as the Class of 2025 Vice-President. Taylor has just returned from studying abroad at Al-Akhawayn University in Morocco, where he focused on international development and the political economy of development in Africa. This spring, Taylor will be interning with the Department of State. After graduation, Taylor plans to attend law school through the Baylor2Law Scholarship and is considering pursuing graduate work in public policy administration or counseling.
Jack Crowell is a senior from Eugene, Oregon, majoring in Accounting, Finance, Economics and minoring in Political Science. This spring, he will be interning at Cornerstone Government Affairs as a Policy Intern. Over the summer, Jack interned in the district office of Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-5). This fall he worked as a finance intern for the City of Waco. Previously he has worked as an undergraduate economic research assistant in the Baylor Economics Department. After graduation, Jack is planning on pursuing graduate studies in accounting or working in legislative affairs.
Megan Darby is a junior from southern Illinois. She is a political science and French major with minors in history and legal reasoning and analysis. This semester, Megan will be interning for the 23rd congressional district of Texas under Representative Tony Gonzales. She is on the pre-law track and in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. She spent the summer in Paris, France studying the language, culture, and history of France and the francophone world. Her interests include immigration policy, philanthropy, and constitutional law. She spent last semester writing a grant for the Waco Family Abuse Center in a competition through the BIC, for which her team was awarded the $1,000 grant from the Cooper Foundation to serve victims of domestic abuse in the central Texas area. On campus, she is a member of the French Circle, Pre-law Society, Pi Delta Phi, Pi Sigma Alpha and is a Political Science Peer Mentor. She has been the Neighborhood Leader Chair at the Baylor and Beyond Living and Learning Center for two years and led the Global Politics Neighborhood before that. After graduation, Megan plans to attend law school with the aspiration to be an immigration attorney.
Maximilian Diehl is a senior from Houston, Texas. He is studying political science and film, and will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in May 2024. Max is a 3-year member of Baylor’s Golden Wave Marching Band, and has also studied at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Max has also operated a personal 501(c)3 for years, working to supply impoverished elementary students in Houston with free school supplies. Max will intern on Capitol Hill this spring with Rep. McCaul. After graduation, Max plans to move to Boston, where he will attend law school before pursuing a career in international law and foreign service.
John Esler is a junior originally from Sutton, MA. John will graduate from Baylor University in Spring 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Rhetoric, minoring in political science as well as legal reasoning and analysis. This fall, he will intern at the Center for Religious Freedom Education. His past experiences include landscape architecture, manufacturing engineering, and two summers serving as a camp counselor at Pine Cove Crier Creek. In Waco, he is a leader for YoungLife Capernaum, a Christian ministry designed to serve and foster community for individuals with mental and physical disabilities. In addition to this, he is a member and merchandise chairman for Phi Kappa Chi fraternity. Upon graduation, John plans to attend law school to pursue a career centered around defense and advocacy. He is excited to spend a semester in D.C. in order to expand his world perspective and become better equipped for his future career.
Benjamin Heleniak is a junior from Austin, Texas working towards a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and a minor in English. He will graduate on the Pre-Law track in May 2025. His past experience includes interning for Save Our Springs Alliance in Austin, to advocate against proposed development in Austin’s natural areas. As VP of Students for Environmental Equity, he researched Baylor's solar energy capacity for the Department of Energy’s Solar District Cup. For two semesters, he served as the Iota chapter Service Chair for the national music and service sorority, Tau Beta Sigma. As a researcher in the zebrafish toxicology lab, he conducted research and wrote a scientific paper on the effects of heavy metals on Zebrafish development. He is also the treasurer for Pi Epsilon Environmental Honor Society, and a member of the Golden Wave Marching Band. This semester, Ben will intern for Rep. Shri Thanedar. Following graduation, he plans to attend law school, specializing in environmental law.
Mina King is a junior political science major with minors in economics and German. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, Mina is excited to intern with Senator John Kennedy on Capitol Hill. Last summer, Mina had the honor of working for Ayres, Shelton, Benson, and Paine, a local law firm specializing in business law. In her time at Baylor, Mina enjoys being involved in her Highland Church community group, Alpha Phi sorority for which she served as the junior Panhellenic delegate on the Panhellenic Council, the political science mentorship program where she helps incoming students become acquainted to Baylor and their classes, and Delta Phi Alpha German honors society. Mina has volunteered with Care Pregnancy Center, helping share the Gospel and provide resources to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Currently, Mina is deciding between pursuing estate law or obtaining her Ph.D. to work for a think tank influencing legislation after her graduation from Baylor in 2025.
Emma Lischka is a junior from Bellville, Texas studying political science and history on the pre-law track. Emma will graduate from Baylor University in May 2025 with plans to attend law school and become a practicing attorney. During her time at Baylor, Emma has studied in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) in the Baylor Honors College. This program is an interdisciplinary approach to liberal arts that fosters research, critical thinking, and communication skills. She currently serves as a Peer Instructor in World Cultures. Emma is a Hatton W. Sumners Foundation At-Large Scholar and Baylor Religion and Social Life Fellow. She is also a member of Delta Delta Delta and Baylor Ambassadors. Previously, Emma has worked on the Pete for America Campaign and as a Legal Assistant at the Bunger Law Firm. This spring, Emma is interning with the Department of Education.
Christopher Martinez is a senior at Baylor University from Boerne, Texas. He will graduate in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, a minor in legal reasoning and analysis, and on the Pre-Law track. In the past, Christopher has worked as a Litigation Clerk for Terrazas PLLC in Austin, TX. At Baylor, Christopher works as an Academic Tutor for Baylor’s Center for Academic Success and Engagement, is an active member of the Pre-Law Society, and engages with others through his position as a Political Science mentor. Additionally, Christopher previously competed as a member of Baylor’s Track and Field and Cross Country team. This spring, he will be interning for the Supreme Court. After graduation, Christopher intends to take a gap year to gain more experience in the field of law and public service before attending law school in 2025.
Haley McAveney is a junior from Orange County, California, and is majoring in international studies and Spanish, with an emphasis on Latin American studies. She is a part of both the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core and Honors Program, writing a thesis on Central American migration and the impact of U.S. foreign policy. While at Baylor, Haley has been an active volunteer at La Puerta, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the local Waco community by providing English language classes to native Spanish speakers. She is vice president of the Sigma Iota Rho International Studies Honor Society, as well as a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. Haley has spent the last several summers in Spanish-speaking countries, expanding her passion for global relations. In the summer of 2022, Haley interned in El Salvador with Samaritan’s Purse. In the summer of 2023, she studied abroad in Spain. This spring, Haley will be interning in the office of Representative Tony Gonzales, TX-23. After graduation, Haley plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in International Affairs or Public Policy, as she aspires to continue efforts in combating global social injustices.
Ethan McBride is a sophomore from Portland, Oregon majoring in Business, Economics, and Finance with minors in Political Science and Mathematics through the Baylor Business Fellows Program. This fall he will be working with the Center for Public Justice. He is excited for the opportunity to learn more about the political world and work alongside talented professionals. This past summer Ethan worked as a scheduling agent for DaBella, a home exterior improvement company. On campus, he is a member of the Baylor Men’s Rugby Team and Harris Creek Baptist Church. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in public policy research and advocacy.
Joseph Molokwu is a senior from Lagos, Nigeria, studying International Studies with a minor in Russian, graduating in May 2024. This spring, Joseph will be interning at the office of the white house liaison within the Department of Commerce. He will also complete a part-time internship with the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Previously, he has interned with the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. His other experience includes serving as the Audit Captain and a Baylor Experience and Admissions Representative for the Baylor Visit Experience team. Joseph is also a member of the Baylor chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society, Global Business Connect, Sigma Iota Rho Honors Society, and Baylor Ambassadors. Upon completing his internship, Joseph looks forward to pursuing graduate school in the D.C. area and working in international trade.
Hailey Shaw is a junior from Waco, Texas. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Communication Specialist and French, accompanied by a minor in Political Science. This spring, she will intern part-time at the Embassy of France within their marketing department. Simultaneously, she will also work at The National Museum of American History as a Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs intern. As an active member of Alpha Phi sorority and the French Club at Baylor University, Hailey blends her academic pursuits with a vibrant campus life, fostering connections and embracing diverse experiences. Looking toward the future, Hailey plans to attend graduate school, further deepening her expertise in communication, language, and political science.
Krystal Tan is a Junior from Ewa Beach, HI, studying political science and history on the pre-law track. She has spent the last two summers working with Baylor’s extended orientation program, Line Camp, where she welcomed new students and their families to Baylor’s Campus. She has been involved with Baylor’s Student Government as the Director of Multicultural Engagement in the Cabinet of the External Vice President and currently serves as the Director of Diversity in the Cabinet of the Student Body President. She works as a Transcript Assistant for Baylor’s Institute of Oral History, where she helps document Oral History Interviews, ensuring grammatical accuracy. After graduating from Baylor, she plans to attend Law School and pursue a legal career. This Spring, she will intern with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee under Senator James Risch.
Ariel Wright is a senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota, studying Political Science with a News Editorial minor. She has previously worked in public relations and communications roles for the World Hunger Relief Institute, Economic Opportunities and Advancement Corporation, and the Brazos River Authority. Throughout her time at Baylor, she acted as the Community Involvement Coordinator for Baylor's Black Student Union from 2021 to 2023, leading volunteering initiatives with local organizations dedicated to bettering the Waco community. After graduation, Ariel plans to work a year before law school. She is excited to pursue further opportunities in Washington, D.C., and looks forward to applying all she's learned during her time at Baylor to future professional experiences. This semester, she will be interning with a U.S. representative for Minnesota.
Mimi Xhaferi is a junior from Katy, Texas. Mimi is a political science and medical humanities double major on the pre-law track. She is expected to graduate from Baylor University in May 2025. This spring, she will be interning at Penn Hill Group. On campus, Mimi has served various leadership positions within The Pre-Law Society at Baylor acting as their co-secretary during her sophomore year at Baylor and their treasurer during her junior year. Mimi has also served as the Pre-Law Neighborhood Leader for The Baylor & Beyond Living and Learning Community at North Russell Residency Hall. In addition to balancing schoolwork with her leadership positions and club memberships, Mimi has also worked as part of the Student Union Operations Reservations Staff in which she helped managed and operated reservations and events for the Bill Daniel Student Center. After graduation, Mimi plans to attend law school in preparation for a career in civil law.