Musgrave spent the spring 2020 semester as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow in Washington, DC. He was serving as a legislative aide to Representative Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania when COVID-19 disrupted Congress. “In the House, we introduced bills, we worked on amendments, we drafted legislation, we kept the whole process going even while everyone except for very few people went home,” he says. “It was a tremendously innovative time and fascinating to see the transition. For me, it drove home how important relationships are—much more important than the buildings or other trappings of Congress.”

During his congressional semester, Musgrave witnessed legislation in real-time. “It’s one thing to study politics or work with historical material or read transcripts. It’s another thing to be sitting behind a member of Congress and feel the honor of representing folks and also the fear of missing something in your research or preparation.”

In Washington, Musgrave advocated for support for funded internships on Capitol Hill so that this opportunity can be accessible to more students. “I want to help UMass students pursue careers in public service,” he says.

He returned from his fellowship with guidance for students. “I’ll be teaching them to write shorter, but more informative, papers,” he says. “When you brief a member of Congress on a bill you need to make a cogent case of its benefits and pitfalls in three to four sentences. It’s possible.” He’ll also reinforce the importance of learning things on the fly and being adaptable. “Working in government, you’ve got to roll into new situations, pick up what you need to know, and have the confidence and competence to accomplish things,” he says. “Our UMass students can do that.”

One September day, having tweeted earlier about President Trump’s tax returns, the Supreme Court, voting by mail, remote learning, and ancient philosophers (he wondered which one would give the best Ted Talk), Musgrave reflected on the relevance of Twitter: “If you study politics, you just have to be there.” He keeps up with news, colleagues, and research on Twitter and sees his own tweets as an escape valve. “It’s flattering and bewildering to me that people want to hear this,” he says. “It shows me how eager people are for humor and connection.”

Back to teaching in the fall 2020 semester, Musgrave finds his UMass students curious and energized. “Although the politics of the past is not the politics of today, there is not nearly as much cynicism among students as among older adults,” he says. “They have a good sense of what is at risk and many already have figured out what they want to do politically.”