CCD: Tell us about your experience. What were your responsibilities?
TD: I was a policy intern at Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Boston Office. My main responsibilities were conducting outreach with the Senator’s constituents, authoring weekly briefings to keep the Senator’s office informed on local legislative issues and delivering administrative support with data coordination, document management, material and information organization and policy research.
CCD: How did you get the opportunity? What resources at BU or elsewhere did you use?
TD: The first place I went to for help with my application was the CCD to polish up my resume and cover letter. The help my reviewers gave me helped me send in the best version of my application possible.
CCD: What was the best thing about the experience? What was the worst?
TD: The best part of my internship experience was interacting with constituents from such diverse backgrounds. It was also really rewarding to be a part of the process by representing them to Government agencies and catering to their needs. One of the most interesting parts was seeing the many issues that Senator Warren’s office tackles on a day to day basis with her MA constituents. Each constituent comes from a different background and story and it was rewarding to be a part of the staff that serves them.
CCD: What was the most memorable moment of your experience?
TD: The most memorable part of my experience was applying my language skills to serve Senator Warren’s MA constituents. Sometimes there were language barriers between the constituents and staff and I really enjoyed narrowing these barriers by putting my language skills to use. One day a constituent came in that only spoke French and it was really rewarding to translate for them and get them the help they need despite the difference in language. I was also able to assist the immigrant section by occasionally translating constituents’ needs from Arabic to English
CCD: What advice would you give to another student about making the most of an internship, job, or other career-related experience?
TD: My biggest advice is to not let your intimidation or fear hold you back. I was just a freshman when I applied for this internship and wasn’t sure if I would be considered at all. I was beyond ecstatic to hear I was selected and it made the entire application process worth it. If I hadn’t applied at all out of intimidation, I would’ve never gotten this opportunity. I also think it’s a great idea to apply even if you don’t think you have a chance because it’s great practice for the next opportunity that comes your way.
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