Sissy Martinez, SPA/ BA ’21, MS ’22, has always loved Washington, D.C. Every time she visited, from her small town in New York, she felt like the city was at the center of everything. When the time came to choose a college, this student of history and government considered American University to be the obvious choice. She liked the feel of the AU campus and how inspired everyone seemed to be about their work.

“In D.C., the exposure to internships was truly unmatched,” said Martinez, who took advantage of a variety of professional opportunities as a student. Her early interest in American politics led to positions on Capitol Hill and on a campaign, which redirected her path. “Getting to know what you don’t want is equally as important as discovering what you do want,” Martinez said.