Internship Location: Madison WI
Organization Type: State Government
Policy Areas: Economic and Community Development/Education/Health/Labor/Social Welfare
During the summer of 2021, I worked as a Summer Fellow in the Office of Governor Tony Evers. I was housed in the Department of Constituent Services, but worked with many teams including communications and policy. I did a number of different jobs within the office including data analysis, constituent letter writing, communications with constituents, and helping constituents with unemployment issues. My two main duties were to analyze data coming into the office from constituents and to write correspondence back to constituents about the policies they cared about. I found these two duties incredibly rewarding. For the data analysis project, I was able to explore what the people of Wisconsin felt strongly about and what issues are affecting their lives. My analytics were able to help the policy and communication teams make decisions about how to better represent and help Wisconsinites. I also gained more experience in writing policy for diverse audiences through writing for constituents. This was my first time in a political office, and it allowed me to understand what it takes to run a state effectively and efficiently. I also gained a better understanding of good management practices, especially under duress, i.e. the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing what to prioritize to make sure your staff is working well while also helping the people of Wisconsin gave me a unique experience that I will use in my future job trajectory.