Bryan Gonzalez

Describe the steps you took to obtain your internship.

With my undergrad graduation fast approaching, I started to look for internships and opportunities to go to Washington, D.C. It was my dream to go to D.C. and intern there and so I was lucky to stumble upon the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) internship program. Once I found out about this opportunity and did my research, I decided to apply!

How far in advance did you prepare and begin applying for your experiential learning opportunity?

I started to prepare my application a few weeks in advance of the deadline by finishing the required questions and essay as well as requesting my letter of recommendation that the program required. I made sure to have everything lined up in time to get it submitted on time.

If you used any Career Center services, resources, or events to obtain your internship, what were they? How did they support your application process?

Attending the Career Center's events earlier in my undergraduate career motivated me to find internship opportunities in DC upon my graduation.

Describe some of your responsibilities or duties during your experiential learning opportunity.

During my internship with CHCI, we got to travel to Washington, D.C., and live in the city for 12 weeks while interning on Capitol Hill in a congressional office. We also got to attend CHCI events which included the Hispanic Heritage Month events like the Leadership Conference and the Gala along with the CHCI Tech Summit. All of these events provided me with an opportunity to listen and interact with influential leaders in the Latine community. We also got to participate in weekly programming that challenged us to think about different issues in our community and our country as well as to learn important professional skills.

What was a typical day like "on the job?"

A typical day on the job on Capitol Hill included developing press clips for the congressman every morning, answering constituent phone calls and recording their comments and concerns, reading and drafting correspondence as well as attending briefings and meetings to take notes on behalf of the legislative staff.

What are some major takeaways from your experience? How will these help prepare you for the next step after graduation?

This experience really taught me the value of being in decision-making spaces and why it's so important to cherish these opportunities to better your community and nation as a whole. It also taught me the ins and outs of the legislative process and the amount of work that goes into every line of every bill that is passed by Congress. This experience has prepared me to engage more thoroughly with my coursework as I now have real-world experience with how legislation is crafted and implemented.

Did this experience help clarify your career path? If yes, how so?

My experience being a member of the Fall 2023 cohort of CHCI's internship program clarified my career path as I solidified my passion for working on legislation that impacts my community through the position of a legislative staffer on Capitol Hill. I enjoyed the day-to-day work of being a staffer and seeing the inner workings of our government and this is not something I would have found out if it not had been for CHCI granting me such a prestigious opportunity. As a first-gen college graduate and a proud alumni of Florida State University, I am forever thankful to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) for such a wonderful opportunity to work in the nation's capital as the program helped me find where I want to work and where I want my career path to go. I recommend any 'Noles who are interested in public policy and public service to consider the CHCI programs!