Intern of the week

Lauren Morea, intern at the National Association for Realtors, says lobbyists are getting a bad rap.

“Most of them are outstanding people, and they’re doing really great things, but because of all the recent scandals the public is looking at them critically,” Morea said.

Working in government affairs under Jerry Giovaniello, Morea’s found herself in what she calls a challenging and exciting job.

“You’re surrounded by smart people who not only understand politics but understand people as well,” said Morea, a native of Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. “You have to be able to relate to all sorts of different people.”

Not only does Morea appreciate the hard work she’s doing, she also takes note of her surroundings.

“The NAR building is the first green building in D.C.,” she said. The award-winning building has floor-to-ceiling windows on every level and “a perfect view of the Capitol.”

Morea is a 20-year-old sophomore at Washington and Lee University, majoring in business management and administration. She is in a D.C. program with other students that has her taking classes Fridays with their professor, who arranges guest speakers, complete with field trips.

The class has visited the White House, heard Vice President Cheney speak, toured C-SPAN and listened to stories from the front lines of presidential protection from Morea’s favorite speaker, T.J. Lamb, a former Secret Service agent.

“Hearing all the inside stories about all the presidents was really interesting,” Morea said. “His job sounds really exciting.”

The change from small-town Lexington, Va., where Washington and Lee University is located, is a big one. “There’s so much to do.” Morea said.