From Cedarville to the West Wing: Student Interns at the White House

When a government shutdown from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, 2025, halted operations in Washington, D.C., Cedarville University junior Paige Johnson suddenly found her White House internship on pause. The unexpected disruption became one of the defining moments of a semester that tested her resilience, faith and calling.

Johnson, a political science and international studies double major from Eldridge, Iowa, served in the Office of Presidential Correspondence through Cedarville University's Washington, D.C., Semester program. Working in the greeting office, she reviewed thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from the American public, helping ensure responses were accurate and aligned with White House messaging.

"Simply being at the White House was such an incredible honor," Johnson said. "Every task felt meaningful because we were serving the American people."