Washington, DC
Professor Larry Berman, Interim Director
"I have been involved with the program since its inception. Students have found their participation in the UC Davis Washington Program to be the capstone experience of their undergraduate education."
Larry Berman is a Professor at the University of California, Davis. In Spring 2007 Smithsonian Institution Press/Harper Collins will publish his "Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, Time Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent. His work has been featured on C-Span's Book TV, the History Channel's Secrets of Wa, and David McCullough's American Experience. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies and is co-recipient of the Richard E. Neustadt Award, given annually for the best book published during the year in the field of the American Presidency. He received the Bernath Lecture Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations to a scholar whose work has most contributed to our understanding of foreign relations. Berman has also been a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. His American Presidency class is cited in Lisa Birnbach's New and Improved College Guide as most recommended for Davis undergraduates. From 1999-September 2005, Berman served as the founding director of the University of California Washington Program.
Staff in Washington DC
Sara Lombardo, Senior Program Manager
"The best part of my job is working with the students and watching their personal and professional growth from time of acceptance through their experience in Washington, DC. For many it is a life-altering opportunity."
Sara Lombardo, Senior Program Manager, oversees the daily operations of the Washington Program, including Davis and Washington DC sites. Prior to joining the Program, she worked at the Smithsonian Institution where she managed a volunteer recording program. Before moving to the DC Metro area in 1998, she worked for the state of California for 20 years in several positions-her last position as a development analyst, negotiating and developing training contracts. She received her B.A. from Californatia State University - Sacramento. Sara lives near Annapolis, MD where she is also volunteers with the US Naval Academy.
Jeanine Vasey-Walden, Program Assistant
"My position allows me to interact with a group of outstanding undergraduate students and faculty members. I love getting to know the undergraduates and faculty and helping to make their UCDC experience unforgettable."
Jeanine Vasey-Walden, part-time Program Assistant in Washington, DC, assists the Senior Program Manager with the daily office operations. Prior to joining the Washington Program, Jeanine was the Coordinator for Student Programs at the American Society for Microbiology. Jeanine completed her undergraduate work at Delaware State University. She completed her graduate work at Rider University were she graduated with distinction and earned a M.A. degree in Human Services Administration.
Staff in Davis
Joaquin Feliciano, Program Manager
"Off-campus learning opportunities like the UCD Washington Program are often the most valued and memorable experiences of a student's undergraduate education. Living and studying in Washington, DC will encourage students to grow and learn in every way possible - intellectually, professionally, and personally."
Joaquin Feliciano, Program Manager in Davis since 2005, works with the Program Assistant and Student Advisors to promote and expand awareness of the program on the Davis campus. He supervises the application and interview process for prospective participants as well as the advising services provided to students accepted into the Program. Joaquin earned his B.A. in Biology in 1993 from Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA and earned his Ph.D. in Ecology in 2004 at UC Davis. In 1993 he earned a commission in the US Navy and served as the Navigator and Legal Officer on the USS SHASTA until 1997. While a UCD graduate student, Joaquin was awarded an Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, the Chancellor's Teaching Fellowship, and served as the Graduate Student Assistant to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Chancellor. Most recently, Joaquin worked as a Conduct Coordinator for the Student Housing office at UC Davis.
Sandra Rodriguez, Program Assistant
“I am excited to be part of a program that offers students such a valuable experience and maintains such a positive reputation. I am even more excited about having the opportunity to interact, and facilitate our students’ journey to Washington, DC.”
Sandra Rodriguez, Program Assistant in Davis, assists the Program Manager and Senior Program Manager with daily office functions, the participant selection process, and promoting the Program across the Davis campus. She also supervises the student advisors in the Davis office and provides advising and internship placement help to Washington Program participants. Sandra earned her B.A. in Human Development from UC Davis in 2006. She worked for the Internship and Career Center before coming to the Washington Program. Prior to coming to work for UC Davis, Sandra worked in Sacramento for American River College for the department of Outreach and Information Services and PACE, a college outreach program for at-risk high school juniors and seniors.
2007-08 Student Advisors
Kristina Brown, Summer 2007 Alumna
“The summer I spent in Washington DC was the most exciting and enriching time I’ve ever experienced. My internship opened my eyes to career possibilities that I hadn’t before considered, and DC offers something for everyone in its many historic sites, museums and dynamic night life.”
I am a fourth year student at UC Davis studying International Agriculture Development and Communication. I participated in the Washington Program during the summer of 2007, having interned for the media and communications department at the national office of the American Farmland Trust. Growing up on a farm in Visalia, California, I have long been familiar with the applied component of agriculture, and my internship provided me an invaluable opportunity to develop a better understanding of U.S. farm policy, a fundamental aspect of agriculture in the twenty-first century but one that I had not yet been privileged to experience. I look forward to helping other students obtain a unique internship that suites their major and career interests and to make the most out of their time in Washington DC.
Ying Li, Spring 2007 Alumna
“The Washington Program enlightens my college life!”
I am currently a third-year student at UC Davis and will be graduating at the end of this year. I’m majoring in International Relations with a focus on World Trade and Commerce in Industrialized Countries. I participated in the Washington Program during Spring Quarter 2007. I interned at the Foundation of International Community Assistance (FINCA International). FINCA is a microfinance institution that serves the working poor and small-scale entrepreneurs thoughout the world. While working at FINCA, which was my first internship ever, I realized that I do not have to work for a big corporation after graduating from college. Instead, I can work for smaller, non-profit organizations while still making a good living. Also, staying in Washington for 3 months made me fall in love with the capital and decide to move back to the East coast for graduate school. Last, but not least, my internship experience as a college student trained me to manage my time more efficiently and made it possible for me to complete my Bachelor’s degree within 3 years. My internship in Washington definitely sparkled and changed my life.
Michael Rivera, Spring 2007 Alumnus
“Please do ask me about the 15¢ buffalo wings.”
I am a 4th year Political Science and Spanish major. I interned at the U.S. Capitol, where I loved the awesome political atmosphere and greatly enjoyed the many dining and tourist opportunities the DC area provided. Washington was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Working at the Capitol provided me with a whole new perspective on the inner workings of the U.S. government. I had the privilege of attending the Capitol ‘Army Day,’ where I experienced first-hand the technological and defense capabilities of the U.S. Army. The research aspect of the program afforded me the opportunity to work side-by-side with a wonderful professor on a project I was truly passionate about. Finally, the great restaurants and wonderful nightlife truly made DC such a wonderful academic, professional, and entertaining experience.