Charlotte, N.C./Aug. 25, 2020 – The pandemic didn’t stop Alexys Gabriel ‘22 from gaining experience needed to fulfill her dreams of a job on Capitol Hill. The junior, who majors in business administration with a concentration in marketing, spent the summer as a congressional intern in the House of Representatives, dividing her time between Representative Alma Adams [NC-D-12] and Representative Mark Walker [NC-R-06].
“I spent four weeks with each of them,” she said. Gabriel answered constituent calls, responded to constituent emails, wrote bill memos, attended briefings and hearings, developed connections with other congress members and wrote press release op-eds. While the experience was one she won’t forget. Unfortunately, she had to complete her assignments virtually due to COVID-19.
“It was a phenomenal opportunity,” she added. “The internship provided me the opportunity to network, experience the time and effort Congress actually spends on discussing issues of the public and build my soft skills.
Johnson C. Smith University is located in Adams district, the same one Gabriel lives in. And while the two have common political views, Gabriel was grateful to intern for both a Democrat and Republican. “I am honored I had the opportunity to learn and work hand in hand with both of them,” Gabriel emphasized.
Gabriel is excited about the future and hopes more JCSU students take advantage of internship opportunities. “You have the chance to learn something new about your career and network with people who could help you when it’s time to apply for jobs,” she said.
