Driving down Airline Road on her way to her fall semester internship, Mary Anna Billingsley passes morning joggers and students scurrying from fraternity row to class. Billingsley, a junior Public Relations major, parks across the street from her internship. When she enters the building she makes note to wave to the security guards, who always smile at a familiar face. The ordinary start to her day is for an anything-but-ordinary internship at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Billingsley is one of a select handful of SMU students that is currently interning at the Bush Center, which opened to the public last spring. Working in event planning for the institute, Billingsley spends her time preparing for and finalizing details for events such as the Warrior Open Golf Tournament, which was this past weekend. Each day brings new challenges, rewards and tasks — from trying to fill her car with hundreds of floral arrangements to greeting important guests with a warm smile. Her role and interest in the positions stems from a childhood admiration sparked by the wave of patriotism brought on by last spring’s dedication ceremony.

“I grew up in a conservative household and have always had an admiration for the Bush family, especially after the way President Bush courageously handled 9/11,” Billingsley said. “I got involved with College Republicans as a [first-year] and after attending the dedication ceremony last year, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Institute, not just another face in the crowd.”

Alex Farrar, a senior with majors in EMIS and math, balances her time on the SMU swim and diving team with an internship in the Bush Center’s military service initiative. Farrar shares her support of the Bush family and credits it with sparking her interest to work at the center this semester.

“I wanted to work at the Bush Center because I believe in what President and Mrs. Bush stand for and I wanted to be a part of and help lead their missions,”
Farrar said.

Kalen Lewis, another SMU senior spending time within the center, is contributing to the success of the education reform sector. Whereas Billingsley and Farrar represent Meadows and Lyle, respectively, Lewis is pursuing a B.A. in History with a minor in English and is a true fan of the humanities. Lewis cites one of the principles of the George W. Bush Presidential Center as his justification for applying for the fall position.

“One of the Principles of the George W. Bush Presidential Center is ‘To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required.’ I’ve been very lucky in getting to where I am and I hope to one day be able to afford the same opportunities I have been given to others,”
Lewis said.

For Lewis, there are many perks about working at the Bush Center. From feeling like he’s part of improving the world around him to anticipating upcoming keynote speakers to the “amazing Keurig brewers” with unlimited green tea, Lewis is loving his first couple of weeks.

Even though each intern has different responsibilities, reasons for being part of the institute’s success and comes from different backgrounds, they all seem to have the same favorite part of the exhibit. Farrar simply states that the 9/11 exhibit is her favorite in the museum and Billingsley notes how the movie footage “gives her chills every time.”

Internships are run by two separate organizations — the George W. Bush Foundation, which includes the George W. Bush Institute, and the National Archives and Records Administration, the government entity that runs the George W. Bush
Presidential Library and Museum. Overall, this makes up the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Applications are currently open for Spring 2014 and SMU students are encouraged to apply from all majors.

For more information on Bush Foundation’s program and to apply, please visit the employment site at employment.bushcenter.org.