Office of New York State Senator Anna Kaplan, Mineola, NY
My mother and my father both told me not to accept this internship. “You’ll be a coffee boy,” they said. They called it a waste of my time, a waste of a summer where I should be doing ‘better things.’ Needless to say, I did not listen to them (a familiar course of action) and threw myself into the job.
Senator Kaplan was just elected in 2018, and the new office was still finding its legs. Working out of a former adoption agency that served as a temporary district office, we had to make do with what we had, whether that meant gathering furniture from the staff’s garages or converting playrooms into usable workspaces. As a new intern, I was immediately faced with classic tasks, such as organizing file cabinets and drafting correspondence. And as the designated “young person,” I was also responsible for all technological problems, whether fixing the often-broken printer, troubleshooting electronic calendars, diagnosing cell phone issues or dealing with everything related to Microsoft Word. In this way, I got immersed very quickly with the inner workings of a State Senate office, from mastering the formatting and layout of the proclamations and certificates that are printed to scanning the varied business cards of everyone who walks through the door, from politicians to constituents to lobbyists.
Every government office has two sides—that which focuses on the political: what bills to write or sponsor, what positions to hold, what statements to issue, and that which focuses on constituents: answering phone calls, emails, and letters, performing advocacy on behalf of residents, and delivering for your district. In Senator Kaplan’s office, I was switching between these two roles seamlessly, although both can blend together at times. For example, I was charged with answering the phone. Often, constituents would call regarding their issues, some of which could be addressed quickly, like miscommunications in State departments, and others not at all, like those who would complain about high taxes. In this regard, a careful balancing act was necessary: take down concerns and relay them to the Senator and staff but be sure not to compromise her position by making promises or guessing on policy positions. Knowing that what I said represented the position of Senator Kaplan and her office was both a privilege and a responsibility. Actually helping constituents with their problems, whether it regarded enforcement of handicapped parking laws or advocating to the federal government, was also a privilege and it opened my eyes to how government and political offices can be used as a force for good.
Because we were in a temporary office, being productive in the first two months of the internship involved buy-in from everybody—sharing a limited amount of resources meant that we all had to be on the same page, and as such, I got acquainted with everyone quickly. Whether working on constituent cases or community outreach, each initiative involved many people at multiple steps, both to divide responsibility but also to make sure everything was at its highest quality. By the end of the summer, I could practically read people’s minds regarding their workflow and anticipating their criticisms.
When we finally moved into our new office, I was tasked with making sure everybody and everything worked together: inventorying our boxes of materials, configuring printers and making helpful guides, running errands to ensure a smooth transition. This delegation of responsibility meant that I was really at the heart of the entire office, ensuring our essential tasks of assisting constituents and advocating for issues were carried out.
Overall, working in the Senator’s office has taught me a lot about surviving and thriving in a fast-paced office environment where the work output isn’t just for profit, but rather to help those in need. In addition, the experience solidified my dual interest in majoring in political science and computer science, two fields that are necessary to interact with each other in the new 21st century world of politics, where our future will be defined by decision-makers who should be capable of understanding exactly what they govern. In the future, I hope to work towards this exact goal: making sure that we utilize the power of computers and technology to the fullest in our quest to equalize the playing field for everyone, whether that means reigning in the excesses of Big Data harvesting or algorithmic analysis of policy.
My summer internship experience in Senator Kaplan’s office would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship of the Estate of George Mead, as well as all the assistance and guidance from the ’68 Center for Career Exploration. I am truly grateful for them to have given me this opportunity, and I am so happy that I was able to spend this summer working for the people of New York’s Seventh Senate District.
The revolution of the Information Age is here, and my internship taught me that we, as a community through its government, need to make sure that nobody is left behind.