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By Alice Salomon, Justice and Legal Thought College Park Scholar
This opportunity opened my eyes to the world of professional advocacy and has encouraged me to go explore this field more, motivating me to work for other advocacy organizations during the summer and the following semesters to come.
For my capstone internship, I interned with MaryPIRG,a statewide, student-directed, non-partisan advocacy organization. Their mission is to get real results on the issues that matter to the Maryland community and encourage student organizing by providing training, professional support, and resources. Going into the internship, I was expecting to put the knowledge I learned in my JLT classes to the test learn more about student organizing, and work to make a difference in my community. I also wanted to strengthen my skills and gain new ones that would help me in my career. Through this experience, I was able to work for their 5campaigns: MaryPIRG Student Climate Action Coalition (MSCAC), Zero Hunger, Public Health, Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics, and Affordable Textbooks. I helped organize and host campaign events and was able to use my creativity to engage and motivate participants to take action. I strengthened my interpersonal skills through the hosting of events and phone banking which prompted communication with individuals from varying backgrounds and walks of life. I also became more informed about the issues that need to be addressed. With the great work of the interns, volunteers, and coordinators, we were able to introduce bills to the Maryland General Assembly and even helped pass the Maryland Hunger-Free Campus Act, a bill aimed to address food insecurity in Maryland public universities. While my expectations were met I also had some surprises along the way. I have always shied away from public speaking and presenting but as an intern, those were some of the responsibilities I had. It didn’t take long for me to realize that though it was a nerve-wracking experience, it was also a strength that I had and something that I ended up enjoying (at least in this particular environment). This opportunity opened my eyes to the world of professional advocacy and has encouraged me to go explore this field more, motivating me to work for other advocacy organizations during the summer and the following semesters to come. Lastly, I am grateful for the connections I have made through this internship. They truly made this online experience worthwhile.
Hey Alice,
I was drawn to your poster because I remember seeing MaryPIRG alot my freshman year and always wondering what they exactly did. I learned that MaryPIRG has some many different campaigns and that each campaigns tackles a serious issue that most college students endure in their school life. My question is whether MaryPIRG has initiated any other organizations similar to its own in different states?
Hey Alice,
Your presentation caught my attention for the fact that I have actually volunteered for MaryPIRG! I was introduced to the organization by JLT, and I occasionally went to a few of their virtual meetings. That being said, your internship seems to have shaped the value of public advocacy or understanding non-profit organizations. Based on your future plans, I can see you doing great things with the skills you acquired working with MaryPIRG. Great project!
Hi Alice. I wanted to take a look at your poster because I was not familiar with MaryPIRG and wanted to learn about the organization. I learned that the issues MaryPIRG tackles are quite broader than I would have imagined. It seemed like you had a lot of variety in your duties. What were some of your favorite activities?
Hi Alice,
I was drawn to your poster because I interned with MaryPIRG also but I was curious about the tasks for the other campaign. I learned from your poster that MaryPIRG has a lot of campaigns that deal with student activism and advocacy for the students. How will you use the skills you learned in the future?
Hi Alice! This project really stood out to me since I've been interested in joining MaryPIRG and wanted to learn more about what they do. From your poster, I learned how MaryPIRG was able to enact change in our community through pushing for the introduction of the FUTURE Act in the MD General Assembly. Which campaign was your favorite to work on?