As someone who is committed to serving the community, I was clear that the best way for me to do so was in the Public Relations field. I had always admired individuals in the community who were able to put a “gift of gab” to good use. I figured I’d start at a nonprofit organization.
Without a bachelor’s degree, I was only qualified to take on the administrative assistant position at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV). However, working at a state-wide coalition allowed me to meet so many dynamic people who make a difference.
Among the most dynamic, exuberant, and influential was Ms. Mona Pasquil. From Domestic Violence Advocacy for Asian-Pacific Americans to campaigning for political leaders who champion issues for the underserved and underrepresented Ms. Pasquil stood in the forefront. It was always a pleasure to collaborate with her at rallies, fundraisers, and planning meetings for community events.
When CPEDV lost its California state budget, I was laid off. After the initial shock wore off, I realized that I could take this lay-off as an opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree in public relations at California State University Sacramento (CSUS).
After considering various internship options, I was most honored by the opportunity of working at Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi's office at the California State Capitol in downtown Sacramento. My supervisor is Chief of Staff Mona Pasquil, Vice President of MSHC Partners, Inc.[1]
Daily activities include assisting with receptionist duties, shadowing Ms. Pasquil while she performs public relations duties, assisting in the drafting of press releases, constituent letters, and commendations, and archiving the Lieutenant Governor’s speeches and legislative records.[2]
I am directly supervised by Administrative Assistant & Small Business/The Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Coordinator Larry Vasquez.[3] With Ms. Pasquil handling many projects at a time, Mr. Vasquez is able to ensure that I have various projects of my own. Mr. Vasquez is a great supervisor; it is clear what is expected of me and I receive immediate feedback on anything I have done. Questions, initiative and input are always welcomed. Not to mention, he humor is very disarming. I was so concer
ned about performing on a professional level and knowing all State Capitol protocol, but he ensures that I learn without stress or excessive pomp and circumstance.
Learning about the political process in California from an active standpoint rather than within a passive political science classroom has been very educational.[4] Many of the activities provide opportunities to go beyond studying public relations and actually performing vital public relations duties.
My very first day on the job, I researched a request to have a memorial for the Tuskegee Airmen on the State Capitol grounds. Upon moderate research on the Internet, I was able to find that the Mexican-American Veteran’s Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds would be an appropriate model. Then, I found a state senator who may be interested in heading the efforts to have the Tuskegee Memorial approved. Los Angeles Senator Rod Strickland honored two young aviators and a Tuskegee Airman by introducing them to the Senate floor.
On October 9, I accompanied three of the staffers in a tour of the California State Archives at the Secretary of State’s office. There I learned about the history of California through the artifacts and historical documents displayed. Later that afternoon, I attended Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s discussion at the Latino Water Coalition Rally. I was able to observe different speech styles of the various players: the Governor, the emcee (comedian Paul Rodriguez), career politicians, and public relations professionals for special interest groups.[5]
Public relations courses have been helpful in broadening my understanding of "publics" and "stakeholders". Knowing this allowed me to be conscious of the various communities, publics, and stakeholders are affected by any given situation. Learning ethics for public relations in class also allowed me to prepare for a public relations career rooted in integrity, empathy, and transparent communication.[6]
However, most of my preparedness was not a direct result of my education. Having worked closely with the public relations coordinator for a statewide coalition to end domestic violence prepared me for the nature of the California State Capitol. There I also learned the etiquette appropriate for a political organization.
The bare bones of "how a bill becomes a law" may have been taught in high school political science classes; however it is difficult to walk in an expert.
Much of the subject matter of each issue tends to be rather broad; often staffers are exposed to every sort of issue. The various issues are broken up by categories such as Public Invitations, Commendations, UC Regents, Policy Issues, Labor and Outreach, Press/Media, Education, Economic Development, Fiscal Policy.
My only notable error was when I took the helm at the phones for the first time. Mr. Vasquez, who normally takes the reception desk, had to attend a meeting. When the phone rang, I struggled to get out all of the words, "Good morning--Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi's office. This is Kyla, how may I help you?"
I managed to get it right, but I wasn't prepared for the caller: He introduced himself as "Jack Garamendi", so I thought to myself, this must be his brother. Little did I know it was the Lieutenant Governor himself! Thankfully he let me know that he would prefer for me to find his assistant, Ms. Deb, than to be placed on voicemail.[7]
Thankfully, I learned that our Lieutenant Governor is not a petty person and that an earnest attempt to help is always appreciated.[8] I made sure that Mr. Vasquez thoroughly briefed me on how do deal with various situations in the future.
The next time, I’ll know that when the Lieutenant Governor calls, we just make sure he gets the right person as soon as possible.[9]
The time requirements are appropriate for the nature of my internship.[10] Thankfully, my other classes are conducted Monday through Friday, leaving me with a full 8-hour day at the office every Friday.[11]
As a Friday staffer, I'm at the Capitol when many government employees in Sacramento are on furlough. I may not experience the phones ringing too often, but I do feel the stress of completing projects before the weekend.
The unfortunate part about being only at the office on Fridays is that I am unable to take on projects that can take more than a day. For example, if I were to receive a letter from a constituent, I could handle the issue in the letter and respond as soon as possible. Unfortunately, when issues are brought forth to the Lieutenant Governor, they tend to be issues that may require a longer investment than just one day.
Just as the Internship Guidelines specify, I’m on track to work 150 hours by December 10th.[12] The only way my internship experience could be improved, is if I had more time than just once a week to contribute to the office. In the midst of Lieutenant Governor Garamendi’s run for U. S. Congress, Ms. Pasquil (understandably) very busy and is not as available to shadow as I had hoped.[13] Fortunately, there will be more opportunities at in the coming months.
If my classes weren’t in the middle of the day, I would be able to ramp up my internship schedule to 20 hours per week. At that point, a stipend or salary would be appreciated as well.
My intention is to focus on utilizing my experience as a pedagogical opportunity; I want to learn everything I can that may contribute to a career in public relations. I feared that I may be expected to perform stereotypical “gopher” intern type duties.
Thankfully, this internship is exceeding my expectations.[14] I am welcomed as a member of the staff and encouraged to go beyond a stereotypical intern. Any task or event that interests me is always available. I am honored to represent CSUS and know that it will only get better.
[3] Describes the supervision at this internship. Answers question: Are you comfortable with your supervisor(s)?
[6] Answers question: were you academically prepared for this internship? If not, what preparation did you need?
[10] Answers question: Are the time requirements for this internship reasonable? Are they in line with your expectations?
[12] Answers question: Was our listing accurate in its description of the duties or time requirements of this internship?
