From the Newsstands: This story appeared in The Eagle's April 2025 print edition. You can find the digital version here.
The following piece is an opinion and does not reflect the views of The Eagle and its staff. All opinions are edited for grammar, style and argument structure and fact-checked, but the opinions are the writer’s own.
If you are reading this, I am almost certain you are familiar with the stereotypical student in the School of Public Affairs — you know, the one who can name every sitting member of Congress, their entire professional history, their top five donors and probably their blood type. These “wonks,” as they are so lovingly referred to, are the self-appointed top dogs of SPA. However, for those of us who more quietly go about our studies in public affairs, it can be easy to feel insecure in comparison to the wonks.
With constant boasts about “hillternships,” overly confident comments in class and endless knowledge about even the most niche political topics, wonks appear as geniuses who already have one foot in the door to Congress. However, both the stereotype and the accolades given to those who fit it are grossly exaggerated.
The mysticality that surrounds the wonk stereotype is both incorrect and damaging. As a superficial classification, being labeled a wonk does not have any correlation to a person’s academic ability, political aptitude or potential to succeed in SPA and beyond. In fact, the title may be doing more harm than good — for wonks and non-wonks alike — as it reflects the disconnect between academia and real careers, applications and action.
Though American University students are not blind to the additional learning and growth that transitioning from higher education to a career entails, the wonk stereotype places too great an emphasis on the ideal of perfection before graduation. In other words, the stereotype of an overly confident wonk emphasizes the wrong thing. While it is undeniably valuable to have a robust knowledge of the subject you are studying, no one is ever done learning, even after college.
For those studying to work in the ever-evolving worlds of government, policy, justice and other adjacent fields, continual learning and adaptability are crucial, and the wonk archetype completely overlooks this. Vast knowledge and book smarts are beneficial to academics and employment, yet open-mindedness and grit are also essential qualities for excelling in public affairs careers. In trying to become the perfect embodiment of a wonk, soft skills are undervalued and under-practiced, resulting in bright students who can name every bill sitting on the House floor but can not accept variability or change of any kind. This would be fine if there were a job posting for a human encyclopedia in Congress, but that is not the reality.
As a busy, stressed college student, it can be easy to fall into patterns of comparing yourself to others and always feeling less than. The wonk stereotype only exacerbates such internal struggles, as it paints a disgustingly unrealistic picture of a genius, internship-welding SPA superstar who is flying through college and already a presidential hopeful. Though many of us know that the wonk stereotype is overstated and slightly absurd, it is all too easy to compare yourself to the wonk standard and feel under-accomplished.
Not all parts of wonk culture are damaging. The emphasis on internships and gaining experience outside of the classroom is likely to be more beneficial in the long run. However, when too much significance is placed on getting an internship, stress and self-comparison are bound to manifest as symptoms. The internship conundrum is a perfect example of wonk culture continually going too far, blowing what would otherwise be good academic and professional practices and aspirations out of proportion.
Above all, the wonk stereotype weighs upon those who feel they are not one. In a way to further our self-doubt and anxiety, we SPA students use the idea of a wonk to feed our own perceived inferiority. Imposter syndrome is a common phenomenon where one feels they are not worthy, deserving or good enough to be in their current position or situation. As students at an academically rigorous and competitive school, it is easy to internalize feelings of incompetence and unworthiness in comparison to peers. In doing so, we use the wonk stereotype as a scapegoat for our self-doubt.
I urge us to alter our thinking. Next time you’re in class and your wonk peer goes on a tangent about some niche government occurrence, do not feel ashamed of your knowledge or experience. We are here at the University and in SPA to learn, not to exclusively flaunt what we already know. True progress and growth stem from making mistakes, being open to change and being willing and accepting to alter your thinking.
Remember that the wonk stereotype is not an official distinction or a threshold to meet. It is no more than an exaggeration or a self-proclaimed title. Be active in your learning, be open to change and be prepared for the craziness that lies ahead; give yourself some credit — you’re doing great!
Addie DiPaolo is a Junior in the School of Public Affairs and a columnist for The Eagle.
This article was edited by Quinn Volpe, Alana Parker and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella, Emma Brown, Hannah Langenfeld and Nicole Kariuki. Fact checking done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella and Diana Melgar.
