Adam Cullers

Political Science & Public Relations and Strategic Communication & Professional Writing

Office of Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indianapolis, IN

What was the most exciting thing about your role?

I was literally working for the City of Indianapolis, the town I grew up in, so not only was I getting quality experience, but I was in a position in which I could actually interact with people who were making a difference in where I had lived my whole life. The atmosphere in the office was buzzing with passion, and it was thrilling to be able to work with people who legitimately cared so much. Also, I got to work at the top of the City-County Building in Indianapolis on the Mayor’s floor, and the view was incredible every morning.

What has surprised you most about your internship?
I was definitely surprised at how different this experience was from what I had seen on the show Parks and Rec. But on a serious note, I was incredibly surprised at the structure of the office and the roles of every individual working for the mayor. The City of Indianapolis has a unique government structure in which the city and county governments are one and the same, and I hadn’t realized that until this position. This is a government structure you would likely never go over in a class due to its uncommon use, so I was not expecting to see all of the details in action.

How did you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your position?
My position consisted almost purely of writing, and Liberal Arts has done an incredible job thus far of expanding on my strength of writing, even outside of my writing major. I had such a clear understanding of how to write effectively that I was able to quickly learn how to write talking points, fact sheets, proclamations, and press releases, among other documents, all of which I had never previously had experience. The communications office ,of any government office, must be able to function with little to no time to prepare, and I can safely say that Liberal Arts has prepared me to work in such an atmosphere. I was consistently having to work on projects last minute and under time constraints, and so time management became crucial in these situations. Additionally, the basic skill of networking and sociability was likely the most important skill I used for my internship. A large component, and arguably the most important component, of government work consists of networking, and walking into this position I never once I doubted my ability to communicate and connect with other employees.

How has your internship prepared you for your career?
This was my first opportunity to actually be able to gain experience in the government sector, and it was really exciting to be able to work for the city I grew up in. This internship truly represented an intersection between each of the three disciplines I’m studying and shed light on the opportunities I could pursue with my unique combination of course work. Prior to this experience I wasn’t entirely confident in my majors nor this career path, but I am now eagerly searching out additional opportunities that can expand on the past summers experience.