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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I Was an Economics Major, Now I Oversee Tennis Channel’s TV & Digital Businesses

Meet Tom Wilhelm ’11, Sr. Manager, Programming & Acquisitions at Tennis Channel.

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I currently oversee Tennis Channel’s TV and digital businesses which includes managing relationships with tennis partners, negotiating broadcast rights agreements and establishing efficient broadcast schedules across TV and Digital.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

For the first three years at Holy Cross, I was on track for a career in the financial services. I had internships at the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch. And although I enjoyed my time at these places, I knew there was something out there that I would enjoy a little more. I quickly realized that I wanted to incorporate my passion of sports into a career. As an extracurricular activity at Holy Cross, I assisted the Holy Cross Athletics Department with its business needs. And although I had only viewed this experience as an extracurricular one at first, I actually loved the work that I did. When I arrived on campus for my senior year, I constantly networked with the Holy Cross community. Additionally, I made weekly trips to ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. I connected with a lot of people, which included alumni from Holy Cross. And as graduation approached, I was hired by ESPN. Following graduation, I worked in television programming at ESPN for nearly six years. I was even lucky enough to work under a fellow alumnus (Burke Magnus ‘88) during this time.

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

When folks arrive on campus, they quickly become involved in extracurricular activities. Although I was very impressed with what Holy Cross had to offer, I wanted to be involved in something that differed from those of my classmates. When I was not on the soccer field, I worked in the Holy Cross Athletics Department for the entirety of my undergraduate studies. And, this “extracurricular” activity actually propelled the start of my career. If you see Crusader Vision on goholycross.com, I was actually the first student to moderate those videos and interview series. I was also involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an economics major at Holy Cross. Like many students, I had no idea what I wanted to do career-wise when I entered college. An economics degree was very helpful for the development of my career. I used the degree to sharpen the business skills that I accrued over the years in the sports media industry. I truly believe an economics degree at Holy Cross sets up students well for whichever career direction that they so choose to take.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

A skill that has certainly helped my career development is the ability to network. Sports is a very niche type of career. It is a career that is very difficult to break in, and it requires a strong commitment to make connections. At Holy Cross, I worked relentlessly to network with people in the sports and entertainment industry. I connected with Holy Cross alumni, and those connections led to more connections. And, those connections led to even more. And, I hold my current position at Tennis Channel via the connections I made during my time at ESPN. The ability to network efficiently certainly started during my time at Holy Cross.

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

The advice that I stress to everyone who comes to me for career advice is “Find a career you love, and you never work another day in your life.” I was fortunate to find the ideal career for me at a young age, and I have never looked back. Stay true to yourself, and good things will come about.
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I was a Economics Major, Now I Work for Edward Jones Investments

Meet Joe Curran ‘12, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Helping families create and monitor a comprehensive financial plan.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

I learned that Edward Jones consistently gets very, very high rankings for training and employee satisfaction in the financial services industry and otherwise through family connections and community contacts.  As a recent college graduate I wanted to make sure that I was working with a company that had a track record of great training and employee satisfaction so that I had the highest probability chance for success in my career, as well as a career that offered me a work life balance that I could appreciate.  It was a good fit because I knew it was a career that allowed me the opportunity to balance my passion for finance with my passion for people.  It was a career that offered me the chance to help people in my community that needed guidance and I found that very attractive/rewarding. 

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a four year member of the Varsity Soccer Program and participated in Holy Cross Goes Unified, as well as various Big Brother Big Sister events/community outreach events. 

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an Economics Major which had an influence on my career path. But, I do not think that it is a requirement or necessity to have a finance/economic based major in order to flourish as a financial advisor in particular if your firm has great training.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

People skills and dedication/hard work.  Holy Cross is a school that challenges you and expects results.  The expectations apply in the work world.  People skills are critical. I expanded as a person and was able to integrate with many people I wouldn’t have had I not chosen to attend Holy Cross.

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Explore different fields and reach out to others/alumni to see who you can connect with prior to your graduation.  Learn about the ins and outs of each “job description”, not just what it says on the website.  Find a career that you have some sort of passion for and the rest will take care of itself.
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Meet CrusaderIntern Paul Endres ’18

Meet Paul Endres ’18 Clinical Observer/Data Researcher at Winthrop University Hospital

Tell us about where you are interning and the kind of work you are doing.

I am interning at Winthrop University Hospital, doing something different every day! Part of the week I am in New York City at the NYCyberknife, Winthrop’s specialized Radiation Oncology office. There I get to observe the doctors, nurses, and radiation techs in the daily running of the office.

Additionally, I am am working on a research project! I am studying the effect different dosages of radiation to the prostate and surrounding organs have on short and long term quality of life. The days I am not in New York City, I am out in the main hospital in Mineola, Long Island. There, I get to shadow different medical professionals in different departments. Some departments I have been in include Emergency Medicine, Interventional Radiation, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pediatrics, and the Intensive Care Unit! Every day is something new and exciting!

Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

I apply my academic skills every day at my internship. I often times draw on my studies of biology and chemistry to be able to talk with medical professionals regarding the cases I am observing. Additionally, I use my scientific research and data skills in my research of radiation oncology.

What has surprised you about being an intern?

I am most surprised by how helpful people have been if I just ask. I often times go into different departments, and am connected with one person there through my boss. However, by the end of one day, most people in the department know who I am and go out of their way to make sure that I am learning and enjoying my time.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

Through my time at Winthrop University Hospital, I have been able to experience a great sampling of the medical field. Before this experience, I did not know anything about some of the fields, such as emergency medicine and interventional radiology. Additionally, I thought I would never enjoy surgery, until this position placed me in the operating room and I was able to observe amazing procedures such as open heart surgery or a robotic hysterectomy. This experience has opened my eyes to the broad scope of medicine, and has made me realize how many options there are in the medical field!

Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

Go with the flow! Not every internship is perfect. Sometimes schedules change or you have to go somewhere you may not want to. Embrace these experiences! It is ok to be nervous, but do not let your fear keep you from trying something new. You would be surprised how much you may enjoy something you think you will hate!
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Meet Catherine Griffin’18, Marketing Intern at Fidelity Investments

Read about Catherine Griffin’s experience as a Fidelity Institutional Asset Management (FIAM) Marketing Intern this summer.

Tell us about where you are interning and the kind of work you are doing.

This summer I am interning at Fidelity Investments in Boston. Fidelity is a well known financial services company that aims to help clients meet their financial goals. As an intern in the broader department of Asset Management, I am working closely with the portfolio managing team, in addition to the FIAM marketing team, to assist in the development and execution of marketing materials with a specific focus on managed account solutions within the Asset Allocation business. The awesome part about my job is that I get to do real work, not just intern work. I am assigned real projects that help the team and the company, and they help me learn the business. It is a win win!

Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

As a history major, I am taught how to read, write and think critically. I think that my liberal arts education, while I will say I am definitely the odd one out in my group of asset management interns, has been a valuable asset to my performance. Every time I am assigned a task, I am able to approach it with critical eye and I always, always ask questions. I can think outside the box for solutions and I can perform my projects efficiently.

What has surprised you about being an intern?

What has surprised me most is how friendly everyone at Fidelity is and how they all want you to succeed. Networking has been so easy because everyone is always happy to sit down with you for coffee. I am also surprised at the value my work has. My team has assigned me real projects, some that will eventually be client facing, so I am challenged to come up with innovative ideas and perform my job well. I am really lucky to have the opportunity for the summer and I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of my internship has in store!

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

This experience has influenced my career goals tremendously. I have learned a lot about myself as an employee and have been developing so many valuable skills. I have also learned what it is like to work for a big company, and that I really enjoy working for Fidelity. My mentors have given me a lot of great career advice and I am currently exploring different roles and teams within Fidelity like consulting or business strategy.

I definitely think I have a better idea of what I like and don’t like, my strengths and weaknesses and my passions. I like working for an organization that cares deeply about its employees and its clients. I love leaving everyday feeling like I have learned something new. I hope to continue my career in business in something that keeps me excited and working hard day in and day out.

Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

First, Network, network, network! I know it can be intimidating, but especially when you have an internship, you already have an “in” in that company, take advantage of it!

Second, take the time you have to learn as much about the company as you can, meet with as many people as are willing, and go above and beyond in your assignments. Work ethic and attitude will get you a long way in the work force, or so I have been told.

And finally, use your time wisely. The last thing you want is to walk away from an opportunity feeling like you didn’t take full advantage of it. Also leverage the fact that you go to Holy Cross. I have had some of the most meaningful conversations and have made great connections with people who have gone to HC. I’ve found that they love to hear about your experience, and more importantly, they want to help you succeed!
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Meet CrusaderIntern Gabriel Castagna’18

Meet Gabriel Castagna’18 Editorial Intern at SourceMedia.

Tell us about where you are interning and the kind of work you are doing.

My internship is at a newsroom in Downtown Manhattan. SourceMedia has multiple different publications, all with a focus on financial news in various categories. The publication I primarily work with is called Asset Securitization Report, and as the name suggests it focuses on news regarding new securitization deals and regulation in securitization markets.

I typically start the day by logging on to the company’s Twitter account (follow @_ASReport !) and tweet out links and headlines to ASR’s latest stories. I then spend a few minutes scrolling through the latest #securitization hashtagged tweets to see if there is anything worthy of a retweet that may be of interest to our readers. Next, I convene with my supervisor to see if anything newsworthy is happening in the securitization market and come up with a topic to research and write about. I spend the rest of the day researching, writing, and revising until I have a fully-edited story ready for publication.

Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

My academic learnings have been vital to my internship experience. As a Political Science major, much of my work involves researching and dissecting articles for information that may be relevant to whatever topic I am assigned to write about. That is what I spend the majority of my day doing here at SourceMedia. My Holy Cross experience has taught me how to research effectively and write professionally in a timely manner.

What has surprised you about being an intern?

The most surprising thing about being an intern in my experience is that nobody sees you as subordinate or less valuable to the company because of your intern status. At least in my case, I feel like the full-time employees here view me in the same regard. Expectations are just as high for you as they are for full-time employees; nobody will cut you breaks or expect any less of you because you’re an intern.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

I hope to someday work in financial services, though I’m not sure what in particular I’d like to pursue. The finance knowledge I am acquiring will be extremely useful in my future career plans; I’ve learned more about financial markets in the past three weeks alone than I have my entire life.

I never considered working in journalism before, but given how much I am enjoying my internship I could see myself pursuing that particular career path. Personally, I think it’s so cool that people I’ll never meet read my articles every day, and pay to do so. There’s something rewarding about that, and it actually motivates me to do my work to the best of my ability knowing that people other than my professors genuinely care about what I write.

Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

Remember why you’re interning. It’s nice to have a summer job and make some extra cash before heading back to school, but that isn’t why you’re interning. You’re there to learn, to see, and to network. Take advantage of the opportunity you have before you; a lot of students would love to be in your shoes. Meet everyone you can, because you’ll never know what you might learn from them or who may offer you a job sometime down the road. Lastly, work hard. Always. There are tons of other kids just as qualified as you for your position, but they chose you. If you’re going to slack, your company will have no problem trading you for one of the other thousands of kids raring to prove themselves.
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Meet CrusaderIntern Taylor Moss’18

Meet Taylor Moss’18 Summer Clerk at Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C.

Tell us about where you are interning and the kind of work you are doing.

I am interning at a law firm in NYC. I specifically work with cases for the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund (VCF), which is a government program that provides financial aid to those with illnesses and injuries from being around the World Trade Center after 9/11. This cause is close to my heart, as my dad was a first responder on 9/11. I admire his firehouse so much that I wear the number 74 when I play softball here at Holy Cross after his company, Engine 74. My role in the office mainly consists of calling and interviewing witnesses to prove our clients’ presence at the WTC site. Then, I write the affidavits for the witnesses to sign and give to the VCF. I love being able to have hands-on work that I can directly see the impact of. One of the most surprising aspects is that the injuries and illnesses are still happening every day, the effects of 9/11 didn’t just end on that day for those who were in the area, even if they were there months after the toxins still lingered. Working for something that I feel is so important and that I have a personal connection to has been really fulfilling.

Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

As an English major, I have done a lot of writing, which has definitely come in handy while writing the affidavits. My Creative Writing concentration taught me how to write towards a target audience. I’m really grateful that I know how to write clearly, succinctly and objectively because I’ve practiced it. There is also a lot of reading at the firm, whether it is going through cases or medical histories or reading the policies of the VCF in general. English has really prepared me to read analytically and quickly. I can now summarize large texts efficiently. Also, the legal jargon is nothing compared to when I read Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales for the first time.

What has surprised you about being an intern?

I was most surprised at the responsibility I was given. Being able to write actual court documents is not something I ever pictured myself doing! It is nice to know that I am trusted to work directly with clients and witnesses.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

Last summer, I had a Trade Marketing internship at Scholastic, Inc. and as much as I loved it, I wanted to try another field before committing to marketing because I thought I wouldn’t really know if I liked it until I had something to compare it to. After this summer, I am more certain that I would like to go into marketing rather than law, but my time at the firm has taught me so much. For example, everyone has different roles that intertwine to help each client and seeing how that assembly line works has shown me just how important teamwork is in the workplace. I think my experience really helped my communication skills. We are in the age that I almost never had to talk to people on the phone, now I do it every day. It’s different than texting or being in person, but I’ve really started to learn the ins and outs of it. After each task I complete, I get more and more confident in my abilities and can feel myself growing. Most importantly, this summer I learned how important it is to work for a place or cause that means a lot to you. Working with VCF clients was always rewarding, no matter how difficult the task was. I’d like to continue to have that fulfilled feeling after each work day.

Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

Don’t be afraid to try something new. The point of an internship is to gain experience, and the best way to know if you like something is to try it. Even if you start working and find that the field isn’t for you, that’s okay! There’s still so much to learn that can be applied to other areas. Gaining work experience will help your overall growth, no matter what the field so don’t be afraid to go out on a limb! There’s always a learning curve, so don’t worry about not being good at something, everyone starts out at the beginning. Take time to know your coworkers, they can show you the ropes and always have the best advice because they speak from personal experience.
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I Was A Computer Science Major, Now I Work In Cybersecurity

 

Meet Reginald Woods ’14, Software Engineer at Sophos.

In one sentence, what does your job entail?
We are a cybersecurity company with products for communication endpoint, encryption, network security, email security, and other products that secure everyday devices.

 

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

Senior year at Holy Cross I didn’t plan on attending the career fair.  I only went because a bunch of my classmates were going.  It was the best decision I ever made!  I connected with a peer that was in one of my computer science classes the year before, who spent her first year out at Oracle.  She passed my information along to the recruiter and I accepted a job at Oracle October of my senior year.  I knew Oracle was a good fit because I have heard so much about their college recruiting programs.  It prepared me for my career in software.

 

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a Football player and involved in BSU, Working for Worcester, Holy Cross Cares Day, and BBC.  I performed in LASO and CAB events as well.  Great times.

 

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Computer Science.  The skills I learnt directly applied to my career which is not the norm for Holy Cross.  I have classmates that have ventured into all types of fields.

 

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Software development and Anthropology helped me relate to people in different cultures.

 

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

The best connections you can possibly make is your classmates.  Stay in contact with them because you will be able to work together and challenge each other to do great things.
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A Career Path Into Marketing

Finding your way into a career in MARKETING can be filled with mis-steps or big self-assured leaps. Taking advantage of opportunities at Holy Cross such as the Alumni Job Shadowing Program can help you make more steady steps. We interviewed Nerelly Checo who, after her experience shadowing ’99 alum and Senior Vice President of National Ad Sales at Music Choice, Tom Soper, is more confident in taking steps to pursue a career in marketing.

Here is what Nerelly and Tom had to say…

Describe your visit and what did you gain from the experience?

Nerelly: For this visit, I was assigned to shadow Tom Soper. After introducing myself and learning what his job entails, in addition to explaining my own future plans, he scheduled meetings with two of his colleagues in order to give me information that was more directly related to my future career plans. Through these meetings, I was able to gain useful and applicable information, especially considering both of these colleagues were minorities and also did not major in Marketing. This experience gave me confidence that I can actually pursue my future career, despite the additional obstacles I might have to face. After these meetings, I was able to sit in a staff meeting which Tom himself led. It gave me insight into what my experience would be like working with a team, in a professional setting.

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Tom: The role of my team at Music Choice is to partner with advertising agencies and their clients to place video advertising across our TV, web, and mobile platforms.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans/goals?

Nerelly: I have always struggled with the idea of how to succeed in a Marketing career as a Psychology and Sociology double major. However, this visit in itself really provided me with the confidence that I needed to continue pursuing this career. I learned the importance of internships especially considering I am not a Marketing major. I also received information about how to “sell” myself and make myself stand out, despite my inferior marketing skills.

What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

Tom: Entering senior year, I knew that I wanted to find a job working in sales and/or marketing.  Through the on-campus recruiting process I was recruited by GE for a position in a 2-year sales and marketing leadership program.

GE was extremely strong in their training, and they taught me a lot about how to sell and how to market products.  I ended up working for GE for three years in Louisville, KY and Baltimore, MD and then my wife (Kim Smith Soper ’99) and I decided to move back to the New York area — where we grew up.

Media had always been a passion of mine and once in NY, I decided to take the skills I had learned at GE and apply them to this industry.  I worked at Disney for three years and I’ve now been at Music Choice for 10.

What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

Tom: Public service and community involvement were important to me.  I worked with SPUD all four years, eventually running the classroom reader program my junior and senior years. Like a lot of students, I also participated in the Appalachia service project junior year.  And of course, intramural sports were also (way more than they should have been) important for a group of us.

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

 Tom: I was an English major with an Economics minor. What I found extremely valuable about being an English major was that it taught you to take in a lot of information, to find the key themes in the text, and then to pull together a compelling argument to support your theses based on the texts – usually in a short amount of time. When you’re in college, you don’t have the perspective to understand how valuable this skill is and how you can apply it once you begin your career.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Tom: One, don’t be afraid to work hard. Holy Cross is known for its rigorous academic requirements and it helps prepare you well for when you’re thrust into the “real world” after graduation.

Two, keep your mind open when it comes to your career. The benefit to a liberal arts education is that you get exposed to many disciplines.  At 21 or 22 years old, it’s rare to know what you want to do with your career.

What is some helpful advice your alumni host shared with you?

Nerelly: The most helpful advice my alumni host shared with me is emphasizing the use of the Holy Cross alum network community. He really highlighted how essential it is to have those connections in terms of obtaining a successful future career. While this information is also emphasized within the campus, it was more effective for me hearing it from an alum and seeing how accomplished he was in his career because of these connections. Through the meetings he scheduled with his colleagues, I received information about internship programs and how to gain marketing skills on my own. This information was extremely helpful to me because I gained other sources, in addition to Crusader Connections, to find internships.

and some more advice from Tom…

After graduation, start working as soon as you can.   I tell this to every student who I work with through the alumni shadowing program – the first few years you’re working, you’re learning “how to work”.  Don’t wait for the perfect job, because you might not know what it even is yet.  Just start working and be open to future opportunities.
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My Alumni Job Shadowing Experience at Massachusetts General Hospital

Full Name: Maureen Hodgens
Class Year: 2019
Major: History
Shadowing Visit Site: Massachusetts General Hospital

Describe your visit and what did you gain from the experience?

During my visit at MGH, I was able to help pass out informational packets to new employees before my host alumni’s presentation, meet all four of his coworkers for half hour meetings to discuss their typical day and hear some of their advice, receive a tour of the hospital, and go out to lunch with my host and his coworkers at their favorite restaurant in the city.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans/goals?

After years of wanting to work in a hospital, I had really been losing hope in the medical field and this day sparked a newfound hope and motivation for me. Before this shadow experience, I had never been to MGH before, but I quickly learned that it is truly an amazing place, and maybe even one that I would be interested in working at in the future.  

What is some helpful advice your alumni host shared with you?

My alumni host told me: “A career is not a prison sentence.  When I was in college, I always felt like the path I chose would be binding and inescapable, but it’s not.  You can always change your mind, even once you are hired as a new employee.”

Why would you recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students?

I recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students because you don’t know if you like a job until you actually get field experience.  Most of the tasks my host alumni completed throughout the day were completely different from his job description.  It is also helpful to shadow for the day because you can feel what it is like to wake up and make the commute, what lunch in the city with coworkers is like, how a commute home feels, and what it feels like to come home after a “long day at work.” Until you actually take part in a day on the job, you can’t judge if the job is a right fit for you.  It’s better to spend one day experiencing a job that you don’t like rather than a month, year, or even more.  Even if the job you are matched with isn’t a perfect fit, you will absolutely learn something from your experience.  This program is a great resource for students who are unsure, somewhat sure, or completely sure of what they want to do in the future.  Everyone can benefit from participating in a program like this while at Holy Cross!
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#CrusaderIntern: The Office of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin

Meet Mary Kate Vanecko #CrusaderIntern at The Office of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin

What were you up to this past summer?

I spent my summer working on the Hill for my state Senator, Richard Durbin. I enjoyed the high-energy, purpose-driven environment of Washington and learned a ton about the behind the scenes work of our government.

Senator Durbin serves in leadership as the Democratic Whip, so he has two offices in the Capitol. As an intern, I assist with various administrative tasks in both offices. I answer phone calls from constituents, give tours of the Capitol and attend and write memos on legislative hearings. I have attended several hearings on public health, energy and foreign affairs and have enjoyed hearing experts from each field debate. It has been eye-opening to witness the legislative process from constituent concerns to the passing of a bill. Before the Senate went on recess, they were debating several bills on GMO labeling, Zika funding and gun control. I was surprised by how many constituents called into the office to voice their concerns to the Senator and how many groups came in to meet with staff to share their concerns.

What was your favorite part?

One of my favorite experiences was the intern lecture series where a variety of political figures gave talks to the summer interns. I heard from NASA Administrator Charles Bloden. Like many of the speakers, he started as a congressional intern then went on to be a marine and astronaut. In a political environment that is becoming increasingly polarized, he shared an inspiring story about looking back at earth from space and seeing so clearly how we are all one.