PLENtalks

September 29, 2025 PLENtalk

Register Now
  • BACK2SCHOOL discount, celebrating the relaunch of PLENtalks: $30 $20
  • 50% discount = $10 for attendees affiliated with a member institution. Ask your school's PLEN contact for the Members registration link.

Additional Upcoming PLENtalks

  • November 13, 2025: "There's nothing like summer in the city": How to get an internship in DC
  • January 2026
  • And more!

PAST PLENTALKS

APRIL 2022: ALL ABOUT MEDIA: A DISCUSSION WITH TRACIE POTTS

In today’s world, the constant news stream can be overwhelming. How can we stay informed and be responsible constituents? Tracie Potts, Executive Director of The Eisenhower Institute and former NBC Washington Correspondent, shared her road to a career in media, her experience in the field, and answered questions regarding responsible media consumption and active constituency. Watch…

December 2021: Resume Review session

An employer on average only spends 15 – 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so it is essential that your resume is concise, targeted, and error free. At our PLENTalk, students had the opportunity to work one-on-one with PLEN mentors to learn how to perfect their resume.

August 2021: Strategically Applying for Graduate School

Have you ever thought about graduate school? Are you in the process of applying right now? We know that from competitive applications to securing funding, graduate school is daunting! At this virtual event, Jordyn Arndt, a Foreign Affairs Office at the State Department, moderated a discussion with SAIS staff and graduate school alumni working in…

June 2021: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Summit Info Session

PLEN Staff hosted a special virtual PLENTalk Informational Session to discuss the upcoming PLEN X WGR DEI Summit. PLEN covered scholarship applications, discussed registration logistics, and shared exclusive programming details! Watch this PLENtalk here.

SEPTEMBER 2020: PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTER: A BOOK DISCUSSION AND Q&A WITH DR. LARA BROWN

Dr. Lara Brown, Director and Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University and author of “Amateur Hour: Presidential Character and the Question of Leadership,” discussed her new book and the impact of popularity, productivity, and ethics of contemporary presidents. Watch this PLENtalk here.

FEBRUARY 2020: HOW WASHINGTON WORKS

Lisa Maatz, former PLEN Board Member and frequent speaker, shared her knowledge and experience about working in Washington by remembering the 5 Ps: ~ Politics ~ Policy ~ Procedure ~ Personality ~ Press. Watch this PLENtalk here.

June 2022 PLENtalk: A Conversation with Valerie Biden Owens

We celebrated PLEN’s Charter Anniversary with Valerie Biden Owens, author of Growing Up Biden, who is one of the first women in the United States to have managed a modern U.S. Senatorial campaign, as well as a Presidential campaign, for her brother President Joe Biden. She has led every campaign in her brother’s political career and was his…

August 2022 PLENTtalk: End-emic and Global Health

COVID-19 has changed our world and its lasting legacy will continue to shape global health and policy. In our August 2022 PLENTalk, we explored rapid advancements in technology and the public health field during the pandemic, effective methods to prevent future pandemics, and compared global public health responses. We heard from Dr. Emily Landon, the…

Pride PLENtalk: Launching Your Career as an LGBTQIA+ Professional

LGBTQIA+ people face unique challenges navigating the workforce, and are especially underrepresented in public policy leadership positions. According to the UCLA Williams Institute, 46% of LGBTQIA+ workers have experienced unfair treatment at work at some point in their lives. At our Pride PLENTalk, students had the opportunity to learn from queer public policy professionals how…

PAST PLENtalks