self advocacySince day one, I have had to hit the ground running. Every day presented new tasks that required me to get up to speed quickly. I have advocated and demonstrated my strengths to my mentor so I am put in a position that will enable me to provide the most amount of assistance to the party that I can. I have been making positive connections and networking. In my internship, I am given the opportunity to meet many brilliant people and participate in many significan events. These are opportunities that I must take upon myself to achieve and utilize. There are so many people and resources around me at all times, and I find it incredible that all I need to do is ask, and I may make a connection that will impact my future in a beneficial way. I tell people what I need and I ask people what I can do to help out. To be an intern that will be remebered, I have used my skills that do not necessarily corrospond to politics directly, and still have made the best use out of them. I have used photoshop to create graphics and designs for the staff and I am known around the office for my digital know-how.
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Internship projectThe project I am planning on doing with the Republican Party of San Diego pertains to videography, media, and graphic design. I will be working with my mentor and other interns in order to create a short video on the Party's internship program. In the video, I plan on highlighting some of the aspects of being an intern that are not readily apparent to inquisitors whom are considering applying for the program. Much of the graphic design I will be doing will be sporadic and situational. The content of the graphics will certainly vary and range from article headers, to instagram posts, to flyers and handouts, informationals, and other sorts of media. The idea of the video is to create a fun and concise informational video that will advertise the Junior Political Coordinator internship program. It may be used on the website or various forms of outreach. I am personally well suited to work on cinematographic projects and digital media. I find that it is one of my strong suits to create videos and informationals. In order to successfully complete this endeavor, I will only require film equipment. I own cameras, tripods, setups, and other tools for filming, however, I will need to find a way to do high quality audio recording. I need to work with my mentor and other interns in order to produce a fleshed out film script that directly outlines what the purpose of the film will be, and what the content should focus on conveying to audiences.
Interview with mentor
Working in a political party I am sure is very adverse. Speaking with Mr. Episcipo, I learned that there is no such thing as a typical work day in politics. Everyday provides new challenges and obstacles and at the beginning of the day, those obstacles will be assessed then translated into achievable goals. The world of campaigning is often thwarted and impacted by the public image of the candidate, this leads to the Republican Party being cautious when a candidate accidentally falls out of line or mistakenly provides the media with a possible scandalous news article. On an average day, the work seems quite relaxed and involves a lot of time spent on computers. Some days they go outside to events and fairs to campaign and network. There are many meetings they host and must prepare for success. The adversity seems like something I will enjoy - not knowing what's coming up next. I was told that somedays, the Republican Party has nothing to do, and on others, there are inflatable mattresses under the desks so they can stay working around the clock for days.
The work schedule is incredibly flexible. It is not everyday that all of the interns and staff will be in the office at one time. In many cases, the office will not be crowded. There are many field workers that are out networking, campaigning, and setting up events. Most of the computer work and conversations will be held in the office, but a majority of the political aspects of the job that do not include media or computers, will most likely take place off site. The policies are very straightforward - to uphold the esteem of the Party, and to always respect dissenting opinions. It is said that all conflict can be resolved through diplomacy, and that is their overall guideline. They do their best to be morally and principally correct in relation to the overall National Party. When in the office, there is no real dress code. Shoes and shirts at all times, but that does not affect me in any way. It is very casual and relaxed. The only instances in which we would have to don our formal attire is during events and public meetings, where we need to represent the staff in a very cordial light. I truly enjoyed my career day experience with The Republican Party of San Diego County. I received social backlash from some of my friends, family, and peers for interning with a political party, however, I feel that I will be truly satisfied and happy with the work and dynamic of the internship experience. In the end, what matters is what I gain from it and not what people think of it. I thought that it was really fun and exactly the sort of work that I would love to do and I aspire to continue in the related direction. Everyone was genuinely nice and respectful. We discussed many interesting topics right away and ate food and immediately, I felt comfortable. I look forward to the month-long internship experience. In humanities, I have gained most of my writing and reading skills. I will use this to effectively assimilate and later convey the policies of the party and to campaign and debate in an eloquent manner. In math, I have developed some of my public speaking skills which will prove to be very useful when it comes to speaking to strangers and communicating the beliefs of the Republican Party when we are outside or at events. In Spanish, I am strengthening my Spanish vocabulary. This will be helpful when I communicate with people that mainly speak Spanish. I will be better at understanding and assisting Spanish speakers throughout my internship. |