{"id":99969,"date":"2025-12-18T18:41:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T18:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/99969\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T18:41:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T18:41:09","slug":"d-c-internship-gives-csulbs-panetta-scholar-a-closer-look-at-how-government-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/99969\/","title":{"rendered":"D.C. internship gives CSULB’s Panetta Scholar a closer look at how government works"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andre Achacon had already stepped into the political arena as an activist and Cal State Long Beach student government<\/a> leader when, after his first flight to Washington, D.C., he headed straight to the Capitol.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a moment that I will never forget, being with all of these other people from across the CSU who share very different backgrounds,\u201d Achacon said. \u201cA lot of us were first-generation and never thought that we would see the Capitol, but here we were.\u201d<\/p>\n

Achacon is the latest Beach student to go to Washington via the Congressional Internship Program<\/a>, hosted by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at Cal State Monterey Bay. A third-year political science student minoring in finance and communications, he would like to work in political communications and aspires to eventually have his own White House access card.<\/p>\n

CSULB has participated in the internship program, which covers travel and housing costs, for 26 years. Beach students of any major can immerse themselves in government\u2019s inner workings, and the Panetta Institute annually sponsors interns from each CSU campus. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Interns are assigned to write a policy paper and a reflective journal about their time in D.C. Political science<\/a> professor Rich Haesly said getting an inside look at how congressional staffers and lobbyists work means the internship is essentially as substantive as a minor in political science.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in D.C. is such an important aspect of how politics is done,\u201d said Haesly, who advised Achacon. \u201cIt\u2019s a way to see first-hand that it\u2019s not just elected officials.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keeping pace<\/p>\n

Achacon\u2019s internship started with a heady two weeks at the Panetta Institute. Its namesake, former Obama Administration Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, led several guest speakers who shared their knowledge of working in and near government.<\/p>\n

And later, after sightseeing at the Capitol, Achacon started his assignment with Rep. Jimmy Gomez\u2019s staff inside the Cannon House Office Building. He began with day-to-day tasks: collecting press clippings, answering phone calls and organizing constituent correspondence.<\/p>\n

Achacon\u2019s internship took on a new dimension when Gomez, who represents Los Angeles, convened a housing summit. Achacon\u2019s interest in photography proved to be an asset; it was up to him to capture images of members of Congress and other attending VIPS.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a real cool experience, because it was very high pressure, \u201cAchacon said. \u201cIt taught me about how quick and fast-paced Washington, D.C. is, and there are so many different people who come together to talk about these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Achacon\u2019s work at the summit boosted his credibility, and he took on additional communications duties: More photography, plus video production and social media.<\/p>\n

Capital conversations<\/p>\n

Achacon\u2019s busy days inside a House of Representatives office came to an abrupt halt on Oct. 1, the first day of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. He made the most of his time in D.C. by scheduling coffee chats with House and Senate staffers. Having conversations with professionals with family stories similar to his own was especially inspiring.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really felt like first-generation students and immigrants were honestly very underrepresented in Washington, D.C., which made every single person who was first-generation, and person from an immigrant background, even more inspiring to learn from,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The son of immigrant parents, Achacon\u2019s interest in politics grows from his desire for government to be more responsive to similarly situated families. These meetings encouraged Achacon to maintain hope for a career in government.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned that you need to think about what you can change within your control, and every small step that you make will make a difference, no matter how small or large it is,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter you continue to make small changes, you stay committed and you stay motivated, and you remind yourself of why you\u2019re there.\u201d\u00a0
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