Our second year student Aoife Murphy looks back on her experiences with the Washington Ireland Program as part of the Class of 2025.
The summer of 2025 took me to Washington D.C., where I spent two months immersed in the Washington Ireland Programme (WIP). The programme brings young people from across the island of Ireland to the U.S. to live, work, and develop as future leaders. The experience was nothing short of incredible. As someone who had never been to the U.S. before, the idea of living there let alone working on Capitol Hill felt like a dream. Nothing could have prepared me for experiencing it first-hand.
One of the most memorable parts of the programme for me was the host family experience. I was lucky enough to be matched with an incredible family, along with a fellow classmate. The Stephenson’s welcomed us warmly into their home for the summer. From the start, they made D.C. feel like home. Every morning, Richard would drive us to the Metro in Arlington, VA, where we stayed, and every evening he and Amy would prepare dinner for us. They went above and beyond to give us a true American experience. Over the 4th of July, they took us to Lake Anna, where we spent the weekend out on the water enjoying jet ski rides with Richard and evenings eating dinner on the porch. One of my last days in the U.S. was my 20th birthday, which they made very special with cake, decorations, and, of course, singing me Happy Birthday with everyone at the host family farewell. Saying goodbye at the airport was emotional, but they haven’t seen the last of me—I’ll be back to visit!
I had the privilege of spending my internship in the House of Representatives, in the office of Congressman Chris Deluzio. Every day felt like a whirlwind of American politics—answering phone calls, sitting in on hearings, drafting briefs, navigating the maze-like corridors of the Capitol, and even leading tours of the buildings for visitors. On particularly hot days, I discovered that surviving 35 degrees in a suit is a skill in itself—one that involves strategic air-conditioning breaks and pretending you’re perfectly comfortable while melting inside.
A highlight of my internship came on my last day working on the Hill, when I had the surreal opportunity to meet Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This moment perfectly captured how close to the action we were. On another occasion, my fellow WIP interns and I were patiently waiting to be let into a briefing when, deciding we were never getting in, I turned to leave and accidentally barged straight into Bernie Sanders. Top tip if you’re ever interning on the Hill: try not to shoulder-tackle one of the most powerful senators in the country.
Then there were the small things that made the days feel like home: every morning my fellow Irish interns and I would gather in the Longworth Building for breakfast. The most surreal part of heading into work on the Hill was seeing my friends from Ireland doing the same it made the heart of American politics feel a little more like home.
One of the most meaningful parts of my time on the Hill was supervising a Girl Scout delegation in the office. Every week, two American high school girls would come in to shadow me. I would give them a tour of the Capitol buildings and a snapshot of what it was like to work on the Hill—and honestly, it felt unreal that I was the one mentoring them. In reality, they probably taught me more than I taught them. Being their mentor was a privilege, and it really helped me in my own work while deepening my understanding of American society.
The Washington Ireland Programme was much more than the host families and the internships—it also included its own curriculum of speaker sessions, student masterclasses, a policy paper, networking events, and trips to Philadelphia and New York.
I had the opportunity to moderate a speaker session with Michael O’Hare, most recently the Executive Vice President of Global HR at Estée Lauder Companies in New York. Our discussion focused on the challenges currently facing Northern Ireland and the role of leadership and vision in addressing them. It was particularly inspiring to speak with someone who, like me, attended school in Newry and who has gone on to hold such a prominent position within a globally recognised company. Sitting in a skyscraper in New York City overlooking Central Park, the discussion felt incredibly motivating.
Student masterclasses are also an important part of the WIP curriculum. I delivered mine on the Turkish Greek Cypriot conflict, a topic I’m deeply passionate about especially after visiting Cyprus on a peace-building trip in October 2023. I used the masterclass as an opportunity to compare the conflicts that both Northern Ireland and Cyprus have faced. Listening to the other students’ masterclasses on everything from Integrated Education to Taylor Swift was equally inspiring, showcasing the wide-ranging passions among these emerging leaders.
The Washington Ireland Programme showed me that leadership isn’t just about holding a title or giving speeches—it’s about engaging with people, listening, learning, and stepping up when opportunity arises. It also reminded me how important it is to embrace new experiences, even when they feel daunting. From supervising American high school students to sprinting for the Metro in 35°C heat, every moment pushed me, challenged me, and ultimately left me more confident in my own abilities.
As I sit here writing this, back at University in Liverpool and now in my second year of Irish Studies, I carry with me not just the memories, but also the lessons about leadership, community, and identity. From late-night conversations about home and politics to spontaneous adventures across D.C. and New York, the people I met both Irish and American—shaped my summer in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I was incredibly fortunate to take part in this experience on a full scholarship, something that truly made it possible for me to go in the first place.
The programme opened doors, broadened horizons, and left me already dreaming of the day I’ll return to D.C.
To learn more about WIP, please go to https://wiprogram.org/.