I learned a lot about the inner workings of the executive branch of the Virginia state government, and I was able to do research that I think is meaningful and can be used by my office in the future. I liked that the other college fellow and I were able to work together, and mostly autonomously, to dive deep into a couple topics and complete long-range projects over the course of the fellowship.
What I wish was different
I wish I had utilized the pacing of the program more to my advantage; the beginning was pretty slow, and I could have used that time to do informational interviews and get a lay of the office a bit more. By the end I was putting the finishing touches on projects that I wanted to perfect, so I was less able to cultivate relationships.
Advice
Get over the terror of sending the first email about coffee chats and just do it! People are so kind and interested in meeting the fellows to chat about what you're working on, state government, and further aspirations, so don't be afraid to make the first move and reach out. I wish I had done more of that!
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Financial assistance for governor Northam
May - July 2018 • Richmond, VA
What I liked
Gaining first-hand experience on fundraising for politics
What I wish was different
I wish it could have been longer and paid more
Advice
Always meet someone new. Use your connection and the connections of those around you to build your self yourself a meaningful profeasional network .
