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Political Science

Carrie Otto, Class of 2008

  1. Where are or did you intern? Briefly, what does/did your internship entail?
    Smoke-Free Illinois Intern, Spring 2007 & Summer 2006.
    • Met with state and local elected officials, assisted with policy day at state capital.
    • Event and door-to-door petition solicitations, yielding over 1000.
    • Contacted organizations and medical professionals to obtain endorsement.
    Youth Advocacy Intern, Fall 2006, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Washington, DC.
    Communications Intern, Summer 2005.
    • Helped plan and facilitate weeklong youth symposium.
    • Presented workshops at Junior National Youth Leadership Conferences.
    • Contacted partnering organizations to support national day of youth activism.
    • Edited press releases, pitched media calls, & spoke to federal elected officials.
    Legislative Intern, Fall 2005, District Office of State Senator Bill Brady, Bloomington, IL.
    • Responded to constituent mail.
    • Summarized legislative reports.

  2. What aspects of your internship do/did you enjoy most? Find most challenging?
    I most enjoyed working on mobilizing citizens for the Smoke-Free Bloomington/Normal campaign through petition drives and e-mail campaigns as I felt like I was able to make a significant contribution to the outcome.

  3. How does/did your internship relate to what you have been studying at Illinois Wesleyan?
    My internships with ALA and CTFK involved working to pass specific legislation at the local, state, and federal level. While interning for Sen. Brady I was working from the policy-maker end and was able to see how constituents can best influence the vote of their elected officials.

  4. Has your internship given you any insight into what you would like to do upon graduating from Illinois Wesleyan?
    Yes. I know I am more interested in working for non-profits on issue campaigns than for politicians.

  5. What advice, if any, would you give to Political Science majors looking for, or even just considering, an internship?
    Internships are incredibly valuable. Not only will you be able to determine what type of work you most enjoy doing, but it's a great way to begin networking for future jobs.