Back in May, Jake Oeth rang the big gold bell as Neil Ruhland graduated from Ball State University with a master’s degree in public relations. Neither one was employed.

Six months later, they’re living in Washington, D.C., in the same apartment, but go to work every day for senators on opposite sides of the aisle: Ruhland for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Oeth for Sen. Tom Harkin.

“Neil had heard that I had been offered a position in Washington, D.C., and he contacted me via Facebook,” Oeth recalled. “We both had our own separate living arrangements until about a month ago, and it just worked out that we found a spot that we could both agree upon.”

“It really does cost an arm and a leg to live out here,” Ruhland said, thinking about his first few months of paying rent alone in D.C. “So it was good to get a roommate, especially one that wasn’t going to murder me in my sleep.”

Jake Oeth and Neil Ruhland share a D.C. apartment.

While one might expect the difference in political beliefs to be a problem for a Republican and a Democrat living in the same apartment, it has not been an issue in the least for the two Loras grads.

“We generally don’t really talk about it a whole lot,” Oeth said. “We’ve both got other interests besides that debate. We’re just friends, you know?”

“When we come home, we’ll make a joke here and there about each other’s boss,” Ruhland said. “But other than that, it’s pretty calm.

“I get that question a lot,” he continued. “I always joke that it’s like, if you’ve got a guy who works for Pepsi and another guy works for Coke, they’re not going to sit there and talk about who’s soda tastes better, or quenches your thirst the best. They’re not going to sit there and try to poison each other. It’s just, ‘Oh, you know, let’s go hang out.’ We talk about anything beside politics.”

“The best part about it is just having someone you know moving out to a city where you don’t really know anyone, having someone that you know and trust when you leave in the morning and come back,” Oeth said. “And it’s nice having someone that has that Loras College degree, that you can have something in common with.”

The daily routine for Oeth and Ruhland is fairly similar. They both need to be in to work by 9 a.m., and both jobs include talking with constituents.

“It’s a busy time. It’s a fun time to be out here, lots of things going on,” Oeth said. “At first, you’re a little overwhelmed by it, but it’s a good thing, I’m glad I’m doing it. It’s a good learning process”

Oeth graduated from Loras with a degree in political science (he gives a shout-out to Dr. Cochran and Dr. Budzisz, by the way). Ruhland double-majored in public relations and political science, and then went on to get his master’s degree in public relations, with an emphasis on public affairs.

As far as their advice to undergrads, they both emphasized one thing: internships.

“Get involved in organizations on campus, and then also pursue internships in diverse settings that will set you apart from someone that may just have a degree,” Oeth said. “If you have an experience, you can drop on to separate yourself, especially in this increasingly competitive world, anything you can do to set yourself apart is beneficial.”

“That’s one of the biggest things,” Ruhland said. “I had two internships between grad school and undergrad, and I wish I had like four or five.

“Seriously, if you’re a freshman, try to intern,” he continued. “Even if they won’t let you intern because you’re a freshman, job shadow. Things like that will help you get connections, will get you mentors; it’ll get you really started on your way.”

You know Faye Finnegan would be happy to hear them give that advice.

“She’s more than willing to help absolutely anyone,” Ruhland said of the academic intern coordinator.
Along with internships, both emphasized the importance of networking, making and maintaining connections, and talking to professors.

“Don’t just have this, professor/student mentality,” Ruhland said. “Talk to them as friends. Ask for their advice, because they know a lot of people in the professional world too, and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.”