It is hard to believe that my college experience is almost over. My senior year is off to a fantastic start. I have been taking interesting classes, working at my internship, and enjoying all the great things New York City has to offer. I also was recently invited to join Phi Beta Kappa as a fall inductee, which is reserved for the top 2 percent of the senior class. This is an incredible honor, and I want to thank the donors of MVYouth again for their continued support.

After four years, I have learned a lot about myself and my future ambitions, but I am still unsure about exactly how I see myself as a professional. The past two semesters I have had political internships with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and now New York Assembly Member and DNC Vice Chair Michael Blake. These experiences have taught me a great deal about the copious issues facing New Yorkers including safety concerns in public housing, disagreements over the closing of Rikers Prison, and problems with the public transportation system. Additionally, these internships have allowed me to meet constituents, politicians, and activists from all over the city, which provided me a more holistic understanding of the City which I have come to call home.  

While I am still uncertain about a future career in politics, I certainly recognize the power that it has to make a difference in people’s lives if used correctly, as there is no aspect of society that is not affected by government policies or practices. In the next year, I hope to get a job as a political staffer in New York or Washington D.C.. By doing this I hope to have a better understanding of whether a career politics is something that I can see myself doing in the future, and perhaps go back to school to get a Master’s in Public Administration. I am excited to see what these next years have in store for me!