What inspires you to work in public service?
Providing for a more equitable nation for all is what inspires me to work in public service. Every day, I witness the resilience of American and immigrant communities, who contribute greatly to this country. My goal with my degree in public administration is to help those in need. To me, working in public service is an excellent way to give back to the community. Through my experiences at local and state governments, I find that constituents appreciate having public service personnel who care about their lives and their needs; opting to not just listen, but to empathize and proactively work towards solutions.
What is your major, and do you have any minors or specializations?
Public Administration
What coursework or academic experiences have most shaped your interests in policy, leadership or public service?
In my undergraduate years at Marietta College, I became interested in foreign policy through taking a developing nations course, and a Latin American politics course. These two courses heightened my already strong interest in policy, but led me to pursue a more specialized role. My senior capstone project was a research paper investigating the relationship between political corruption and immigration, a project that has been accepted for the Midwest Political Science Association's conference in 2026. I have taken the skills that I have learned inside the classroom on to share my work with others, in the hopes that the research I conduct will have an impact on public policy moving forward.
What specific skills or experiences do you bring to your internship?
In addition to my coursework in domestic policy, foreign policy, and political theory, my skills include statistical analysis through the use of Stata software, quantitative research projects, and strong background in academic writing. I am also well-versed in the Microsoft and Google suites of softwares, including Excel/Sheets, Word/Docs, and PowerPoint/Slides.
What strengths do you most rely on when collaborating with others?
Some of the strengths that I rely on when collaborating include my ability to adapt in changing situations and environments, delegating tasks, and approach challenges with enthusiasm rather than dread. I believe that all things are possible when we work together, and I take these approaches to ensure that all voices are heard in a project, and to perfect our work together. When challenges arise, I come at them head-on, and will work to find creative solutions to them.
What are your career goals and how do you hope this fellowship will support your professional journey?
One of my biggest career goals is to become an analyst for a foreign policy committee or think tank. Having done policy research in both undergrad and graduate school, I am well-equipped to take on research projects, interpret quantitative data, and formulate recommendations for policymakers. In addition, I would like to take this expertise in my field and run for public office, so that I may bring my skillset to the legislature to formulate foreign policy solutions that work effectively for the United States and our allies.
What is your favorite or most impactful project from a previous role?
One of the most important projects that I have been part of in a past role was my research for House Bill 419 in Ohio's 135th General Assembly. This was a bill that was going through the legislative process at the time in the Summer of 2024, focused around enacting a law that would mandate universal background checks for the purchase of firearms. The research that I conducted was intended to aid the representatives in presenting their arguments and gathering votes from their colleagues. This project helped me to use my research and writing skills, to organize and prepare documents for the representative to review.