Time Flies When You Are Having Fun
Our summer interns reflect on their time with the Association
It doesn’t seem that long ago that our 2026 class of summer interns from the Fund for American Studies (TFAS) D.C. Academic Internship Program was introducing themselves to our audience.
Now, after the six-week program wraps up, they share their thoughts as they say goodbye (for now).
Lucy Whitener
My time at Rail Passengers Association has been monumental for my career both socially and professionally. I have been able to focus on a major group project with my associates, Christine and Trevor, as well as engage with members in and out of the office, which has been great practice of both virtual and in-real life work.
My time at Rail Passengers learning about non-profit advocacy has inspired me to pursue non-profit work during my potential law career and expanded my horizons on what I thought was possible in Washington, D.C. for me. I am forever grateful for the time this staff took on mentoring us. I have so many fun memories, such as traveling to Philadelphia via train with my associates, touring Union Station on a private Amtrak tour, networking with lobbyists and lawyers, and so much more. I look forward to staying in touch with everyone in the office and cannot wait to see what this great organization does.
Trevor Mathia
Now that my summer internship at the Rail Passengers Association is coming to a close, I can say it was an experience of a lifetime and one I will carry with me into my professional career for years to come. Over the past 8 weeks, the other interns and I researched everything from Galtte v. New Jersey Transit’s impact on small-carrier liability insurance to sovereign immunity as it relates to transit entities, as well as decades of case law. We also had the opportunity to head up to Capitol Hill and sit in on a briefing on Build 250, which included thoughtful panel discussions and was very informative about the bill’s benefits and drawbacks.
However, by far my favorite thing I was able to do working with the association was to make new connections across the city with people of all different backgrounds, thanks to our wonderful boss Jim Matthews for setting those up. One last thing I will take away from this internship is two new friends, Christine and Lucy, whom I’ve been able to connect with on both a professional and personal level, for which I’m grateful. Overall, my thoughts on RPA are positive; it has given me clearer direction on what I want to do when I graduate from college and a better understanding of what to expect in professional environments.
Christine Niu
This summer, RPA has provided me with an unparalleled look into the transportation industry, something I had not previously had any experience with but was faintly interested in due to my trek on the Vermonter to college, as well as the nonprofit sphere. I had the opportunity to dive deep into passenger rail history along with transportation policy this summer, in both of which I discovered a wealth of knowledge and further interest (you may see some of my history facts/tidbits pop up in RPA communication). Through this research, both historical and legal, I’ve learned that the rich history of passenger rail continues to reverberate into our current striving for equal access, serving the underserved. I especially appreciated attending hearings on Capitol Hill relevant to the Build America 250 Act and its current lack of advanced appropriations, as well as touring DC’s Union Station and Philadelphia’s 30th St. Station (as we took a day trip up there on June 27th).
I’m grateful for the opportunities to meet with and learn from professionals in the field, gaining insight into the legal and government relations facets of Amtrak and regional commuter rail. Through all of this, I’ve witnessed firsthand the advocacy that strives to ensure this country’s public transit systems continue to connect everyone. I’m so very grateful for all that I’ve experienced and encountered, most notably for the camaraderie and mentorship in the office. I received terrific insight on what directions I can take with my future career, as that was a question I sought to at least attempt to answer this summer. It was a pleasure to work for and with RPA this summer!