Shenetha Shepherd

Corporate Communications

Office of U.S. Congressman Pete Visclosky

How has your internship helped build skills and clarify your career goals?

My internship has given me the opportunity to see how many moving parts there are in the world of politics. It has showed me how many people there are behind the scenes working to keep our government functioning (not just politicians and their aids). I think this has revealed to me that I have more options for my future career.

How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills in your internship?

I use critical thinking everyday, in everything that I do. This may be the most important liberal arts skill that I apply to my internship and my life.

What is a typical day like as an intern, any challenging or exciting aspects?

As an intern, I focus mainly on constituent work. I give tours, speak to constituents on the phone, and go through constituent emails. I am also involved in the Stennis Center Congressional Intern Program. I meet with Stennis fellows and other interns once a week and hear lectures from people who work on Capitol Hill. Being able to go to hearings and learn about the inner workings of the House/Senate from experts has definitely been my favorite thing about my role. It’s surprising how much political work and negotiations (that affect policy/law) takes place that’s not shown to the public. There’s so much going on behind the scenes that most people aren’t even aware of. It has been great to learn and experience so much up close and personal.