The Center for Career Engagement has 8 different industry-focused Career Communities that that inspire confidence, provide connections, and support students and alumni as they make decisions about their futures. The Government, Policy & Social Impact (GPSi) Career Community is a robust network of purpose-driven change agents in the fields of government, policy, politics, advocacy, law, social work, education and international affairs. The GPSi career coaching team works with students and alumni to help them find meaningful careers and graduate school opportunities in this space. Student employees play a key role in this community: sourcing content and drafting the newsletter, planning career engagement events, and brainstorming ways to engage with students and alumni interested in the government, policy, and social impact sectors.
Name: Hannah La Porte
Year: Class of 2028
Major: American Culture Studies and Political Science with a minor in East Asian Language and Culture
On-campus job title: Government, Policy & Social Impact Career Community Intern
On-campus job department: Center for Career Engagement
Hannah La Porte first engaged with the GPSi team like many WashU students do, “I met with the GPSi coaches a few times my freshman year to learn about career opportunities and get industry-specific advice.” As she delved deeper into thinking about her own career goals and reflected on the support the GPSi team gave her, a student position within the team opened up and she knew she had to apply.
Hannah quickly became an integral part of the GPSi team. As Hannah’s supervisor and Career Coach, Ahmar Ursani, explains, “She writes and designs the ‘events’ and ‘opportunities’ sections of our weekly newsletter. To do this, she has to synthesize and highlight a vast array of jobs, internships, fellowships, and events for that will be most meaningful to students in our community. She also supports students directly during our drop-in hours where she reviews their resumes. She brings an invaluable student perspective to how our community operates.”
And what can be more rewarding than helping a peer find their dream job? “Working with students and making a tangible impact on their careers is deeply fulfilling,” says Hannah. “Hearing students share stories of jobs or internships they secured through our newsletter reinforces my sense of purpose in connecting them with the professional network they came to WashU to access.”
Just as Hannah gets to help other students envision their career possibilities, her on-campus job with the GPSi community has also enriched her own career growth. “I’ve seen Hannah grow into her role within the CCE,” explains Ursani. “She’s improved her skills in Canva to develop marketing materials. Also, due to her weekly review and synthesis of information from the GPSi field, her own understanding of the industry has deepened.”
Hannah agrees, “Communication is an essential skill I have developed through my work with the GPSi community. I have learned to convey employer needs to the student body in a concise manner, while also helping students effectively articulate their skills and talents to prospective employers.” On a broader level, “the network I’ve built through working at the Center for Career Engagement will forever support the growth of my future career. This job has provided me with the opportunity to meet with people from every sector of the government, policy and social impact industries, and each of those unique interactions shape the way I approach my studies and my future career.” Her experiences with the Center for Career Engagement led her to apply to and be accepted as a 2026 Pershing Fellow in Non-Profit Leadership.
Inspired by Hannah’s story? The Center for Career Engagement employs about 35 students every year in various roles. Student employment positions, when available, are posted on Handshake.
Written by Sarah Sims, March 25, 2026.
