As a medical laboratory science major who interned at U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office for 10 weeks, Alexandra Martil constantly found herself asking, “How did I end up here?” But more importantly, “What does this mean for my future?”
The start
Securing the internship was not a walk in the park. It required a perfect blend of intentionality, patience, and risk-taking. The opportunity arose when Martil received a email from the College of Applied Science and Technology’s office which encouraged students to apply for internships in Washington, D.C. as part of CAST’s Washington, D.C. scholarship program.
Martil knew that as she applied for the internship her chances of getting a callback were very high. “I believe I was either the first or one of very few medical laboratory science majors who were seeking an internship at the Senator’s office” Martil recalls. The phone interview that followed was the confirmation that she was indeed on her way to getting the internship.
Then, came the waiting and what had started as a confident beginning slowly evolved into a restless waiting period as her confidence in securing the internship declined.
The offer letter came back about a month after being interviewed for the position and with it came a new dawning–the move to Washington, D.C.
The big move
“Moving to D.C felt new and familiar at the same time” Martil remarks.
The big move to D.C. felt familiar because she was used to a rigorous work and school schedule as her major in medical laboratory science and minors in biology and public health. The unfamiliarity arose from the fact that even though Martil had done internships before, working in an office setting was a stark contrast to her previous lab-related internships. Having that experience in an entirely different location was the icing on the cake.
“It felt like I was a first-year student moving to Illinois once again–except now I was moving to a different state as an intern and there were bigger responsibilities ahead” says Martil. And indeed, the responsibilities at the Senator’s office were bigger and much more rewarding than she had anticipated.
The internship
Working at Capitol Hill is exactly what you would imagine. No day is like the previous one.
As the scheduling intern for Senator Duckworth’s office, Martil’s tasks entailed processing 30 to 40 daily scheduling requests for the senator, responding to phone calls and emails from constituents and the public, attending regular briefings, and scheduling the occasional networking chat with her coordinators.
Each task had its own lessons.
As she communicated with members of the public who reached out to the office, Martil observed how much importance the Senator’s office gave to their concerns about matters going on in Congress. Furthermore, the briefings that were held at the Senate and the House of Representatives gave her an inside glimpse of how legislative processes were conducted.
Martil also witnessed how organizations would come to Capitol Hill and present information to congressional staff about a particular topic with a legislative goal in mind. The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy particularly stood out to her as it presented a pathway for her, as a medical lab science student, to model in the future.
Martil notes that in the fulfillment of her responsibilities, processing the scheduling requests was perhaps the most important responsibility that she was tasked with. She would pick up the information from the mail and email system then input it into the office’s internal database. The information was then sent to the scheduling team and the Deputy Scheduling Director, who then made the judgment call on the attendance of the events for the Senator.
“As you work at Capitol Hill, you quickly begin to learn that you are not just a regular intern–you’re a Hill-tern.” Martil proudly declares. Clearly, a sense of pride is associated with the role. A scheduling hill-tern seemed like a small role, but Martil realized that her role was a very significant part of the chain link that offsets positive change in society. It is in these meetings that positive change would be discussed.
Martil came to this understanding when she had the opportune chance of shadowing Senator Duckworth for a day. That eventful day gave her a new appreciation for the work done by Senator Duckworth. “It was a very busy day. Everyone wants a piece of Senator Duckworth’s time. Personally, I got to see my work come to life,” Martil recalls, “It was interesting because I got to attend some of the meetings that I had scheduled for the Senator!”
The impact
With newfound understanding that her role at the Capitol was far more vital than she had imagined, Martil feels more energized to advocate for change. She sees herself being able to bridge the gap between medical laboratory science professionals who are making new discoveries in laboratories and government representatives who want to advocate for change in the field of public healthcare.
Her interest in governance has passed over into her student life back at Illinois State where she now has a newfound passion for student government. Martil intends to join the Student Government Association at Illinois State with the skills and knowledge she acquired during her Capitol Hill Internship.
Beyond that, she has also gained what she believes to be life-long friendships that were formed in the shared living space during the 10 week internship.
The takeaway
Armed with a new-found confidence in herself and her future, Martil is left with a fond and profound recollection of her summer internship. She maintains that she did not seek the internship in the traditional way that most students do. On the contrary, the opportunity presented itself when she least expected or sought after it.
When asked to sum up her entire experience, Martil insists that it was Senator Duckworth’s special assistant who was able to effectively sum up the disconnect she felt as a medical laboratory science major who opted for an internship in a high-profile law-making office, yet ended up thriving throughout the experience, in three simple words: “Never say never!”
