This summer, I had the privilege of working at the Reserve Organization of America as a public policy and communications intern. Coming into this position, I had absolutely no idea as to what to expect. As an architecture major at the University of Maryland, the fields of advocacy and digital communications were uncharted territory to me prior to this experience. I feared that because of my lack of previous knowledge that I wouldn’t be successful in this internship and that rather, I would be a hindrance to the organization.
Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Under the guidance of Matt Schwartzman, Director of Legislation and Military Policy at ROA, I learned more about life on Capitol Hill than I ever thought I would in a lifetime. From running around hand delivering invitations to the various congressional offices to attending a press conference, I gained so many valuable experiences that I will forever carry with me throughout my career.
In addition to learning about Hill life, I participated in a panoply of legislative projects that bettered both my analytical skills and my ability to think from the perspective of an organization at large. Together with my fellow intern Pea Ichimura, we reviewed the entirety of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act omnibus package and developed a position on the bill for ROA to take. Additionally, we reviewed the NDAA 2027 bill for both the House and the Senate and developed a position for the organization to take on that. Through these projects, I was introduced to a new style of writing I had never learned about before. I learned to be discerning in determining priorities versus secondary issues, and I discovered just how important exact wording is when drafting legislative propositions.
Not only was I able to work on the advocacy side of things, but I was given the opportunity to explore digital communications under the direction of ROA’s Digital Communications Manager, Melani Harig (who is also my mother!). With her guidance, I learned all about how the ROA website functions as well as how social media video production works.
Out of everything I’ve been able to learn and accomplish here at ROA, my favorite thing that I have done by far is all the networking and meeting new people I’ve been able to do. Working with ROA has given me the opportunity to get to know people from all walks of life. From casually chatting with everyone in the office to getting to know the professionals of Capitol Hill, I have been able to learn so much about the human experience and what goes on in each individual person’s mind that inspires them to get up every morning and come to Capitol Hill.
I am extraordinarily grateful for all of the experiences I have had here at ROA, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone on the ROA staff for being so welcoming and encouraging throughout my journey here. I had a fantastic summer interning for this organization, and it is surely an experience I will value throughout the rest of my career.