
Welcome to Gustavus Adolphus College’s Student Stories Series!
Women Winning as a Political Leaders of Tomorrow Intern
Major: Political Science
Minor: Communications & Economics
Tell us more about your accomplishment.
This summer I completed an internship with Women Winning as a Political Leaders of Tomorrow intern, also referred to as PLOT intern. Through them, I was matched with Kissy Coakley’s campaign for MN State House District 49A where I served as her Director of Communications. Women Winning offered a few trainings throughout the summer that I could implement on my campaign and connect with other women in my cohort. During this internship, I was doing everything from door-knocking to talk to voters to creating social media posts which all made for a very fun summer!
Why did you choose Gustavus Adolphus College?
I chose Gustavus because I wanted a small liberal arts school that close to home. I’m originally from Minnetonka but went to Hopkins High School where St. Olaf has a lot of pull. Although I did look at St. Olaf I ended up choosing Gustavus because I liked the sense of community it had more. I also liked that Gustavus is close to Mankato so since I have a car on campus I can get just about anything I need without having to drive back to the suburbs.
What was your most meaningful experience at Gustavus, and why?
The most meaningful experiences I’ve had on campus have always been with my professors. My professors have always been so kind and patient with me, which has always meant a lot to me because I came to Gustavus having no intended major. Through many conversations with them, I figured out what major and minors best suit me and I know that they’ll always be in my corner when I need them.
Tell us about where your journey with your accomplishment began.
My journey with my PLOT internship began by applying for the opportunity on Handshake, as shown to me by a Career Development Specialist. After that, I had 1 Zoom interview where I had a really great connection with the coordinator of the program. A few weeks later I found out I got the internship and then I started to prepare for training the first weekend of summer. In that training, we learned the basics of what it means to work on a campaign. Finally, I got matched with my campaign and worked on the weekly tasks I was assigned for the rest of the summer.
Which individual, student organization, or mentor has influenced you most and in what way?
The student organization that has influenced me most is being a part of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority here on campus. Through Greek life, I have gained far more confidence in myself and my abilities to be a leader. My sorority has also given me such a wonderful group of women who always support me in whatever I do. Not to mention I also met a member from our chapter in our Duluth chapter at my internship so I love having that community wherever I go.