Twenty-Four Seven June 7, 2006, 5:17PM EST

Finding the Right Words

This Georgia grad made the leap from finance major to political speechwriter at a conservative think tank

You might wonder how a finance major could become a political speechwriter, but I'm proof that it is possible. After graduating from the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business in 2004, I began working for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative public policy research institution (AKA "think tank") in Washington, D.C. A non-profit with more than 200 staff members, the Heritage Foundation supplies lawmakers, government officials, the public, and members of the media with research supporting free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

	Michael A. Mannina Research Assistant to the President The Heritage Foundation BBA Class of 2004, University of Georgia Terry College of Business

I write and research speeches for my boss -- Dr. Ed Feulner, president of the foundation. I have also handled some cool special projects, namely working on the launch of Dr. Feulner's book, Getting America Right: The True Conservative Values Our Nation Needs Today.

I came into this job giddy from the idea of working as a speechwriter and gaining exposure to high-profile figures. I've certainly had my moments of glory -- like working with former Attorney General Ed Meese on UN Reform legal matters, dining with the president of the Czech Republic to discuss economic freedom, and having Margaret Thatcher drop in for a cup of tea a few weeks ago. But I can assure you that after a few months, the famous lose their luster and speechwriting is anything but glamorous. All you hear is criticism when the speech isn't perfect -- which is every speech.

This is a typical work day:

8:15 a.m. -- I leave home and begin my four-and-a-half block commute to the office. I walk past the Capitol building, Supreme Court, and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R-Tex.) house on my way.

8:30 a.m. -- I check my voice mail and e-mail and review appointments and tasks for the day.

9:00 a.m. -- After getting caught up on e-mail, I glance through the major daily newspapers looking for anything that relates to an upcoming speech or something my boss should know. By this time, the intern has arrived, and I make sure his plate is full.

9:30 a.m. -- Taking a quick reading break, I look out my window at the Senate parking lot to see if it's filled beyond the halfway point. It's not. Normally, Senate staffers fill the lot by 11:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. -- There's a staff meeting to review upcoming conference logistics. Heritage hosts several conferences on public policy initiatives each year for the public, think tanks, or members of Congress. This conference, in Colorado Springs, Colo., is for smaller think tanks from around the world to network, learn about different projects their peers are undertaking, and find ways they can partner with each other to spread our shared values.

10:45 a.m. -- I pull the conference planner aside and discuss smaller details about my boss's role in the conference to make sure I didn't miss anything.

11 a.m. -- I meet with Dr. Feulner to discuss a speech outline for his remarks at the upcoming conference. Sometime he needs a full script, other times just talking points, and other times he wings it himself. This time, I need to write a full script for a 15-minute speech, which comes to about 1,500 words.

11:15a.m. -- It's time to begin a first draft. At this moment, I remember why I studied business and not English (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/26/06, "Memo to Students: Writing Skills Matter").

11:30 a.m. -- Still trying to get the first paragraph of the speech written, I look around for inspiration, so I turn on Yahoo! (1 2 Next Page