Pi Phi Summer Days; Jesse

Following in the footsteps of our former VPC (snaps for Kashka) we're bringing back, and if you already read the title you must know, Pi Phi Summer Days!

Once (or twice if I'll feeling devious) a week I'll update with posts featuring all the amazing things our Pi Phi sisters are doing. From Vogue to digs in Rome, our sisters are bringing their Hopkins smarts and Pi Phi values to their jobs and internships around the world!

For our first installment, I bring you Jesse. Jesse is a rising sophomore and a fellow writing seminars major. She loves her pham, long walks on the beach, spelunking, and more recently, interning in Washington, D.C.in the office of Congressman Mark Takano.

Just look at that pretty face, soon she'll be dominating capitol hill!

 "As an intern in the office I basically just help keep the office running smoothly--I deliver letters/notes to other congressional offices, give our district's constituents tours when they visit, answer constituent correspondence, and do anything the staff in my office need me to do. I also attend special lectures/courses held by the Congress just for interns--last week I heard Congressman Gregg Harper and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer speak, and that was just my first week on the job!" 

Jesse is interning through the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) and their Political Internship Program (PIP). While there she is focusing her efforts on the Advocacy Project, a program tradition started in 2004. This year's project focuses on immigration, because of the extensive immigration reform efforts currently going on. 

"I had the idea of starting a tumblr that collects submissions from Asian Pacific American immigrants/children of immigrants all across the country who want to share their immigration story, because lots of times Asian Pacific American people don't see immigration as a priority, but in reality they make up at least 10% of the people affected by the new bill. We'll be using this Tumblr... to advocate and lobby for the immigration reform bill in various Congresspeople's offices." 

Even though Jesse does not see herself going into politics anytime soon, she enjoys taking her skills and applying them in philanthropic services (an important Pi Phi value).

"I'm not exactly interested in being in politics, per se, but I love being involved in changing my community for the better, and I felt like doing this internship could really teach me a lot, not only about my community and about how the US legislative system works, but also about how to make an impact on others and what I can do to make a change."

We wish you the best of luck for your internship and see you in the Fall!

PPL & M,
Gaby