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Scholar seeks
inspiration working in Washington D.C.
By Tom Carey
On-line Forty-Niner
After eating dinner
with Clint Eastwood in a mansion at Pebble Beach, junior Amy
Cucinella, a political science and print journalism major,
hoped the rest of her internship would live up to the first
night.
For the past three years, presidents from each California
State University select one student to take part in the Panetta
Internship Program in Washington, D.C. Political science professor
Ron Schmidt nominated Cucinella for her past experience and
interest in politics.
"She definitely stood out (amongst the students),"
said Scmidt. "She had already done an internship with
Governor Gray Davis' office and I knew she would make good
time of the work.
The program involves a two-week orientation at Cal State Monterey
Bay with former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and
other guest speakers before flying to Washington, D.C. to
spend two and a half months with an office of a member of
the California congressional delegation.
For the first two weeks of the program, Cucinella listened
to courses and guest speakers explaining how the legislative
process works.
"We had guest speakers ranging from Vic Fazio (chairman
of the Democratic Caucus) and Wall Street Journal political
correspondents," Cucinella said.
After the two-week orientation at CSU Monterey Bay, Cucinella
is now at Capitol Hill working with Rep. Dana Rohrbacher,
a republican from the 45th District, which includes western
Orange County. At his office, Cucinella answers the phones,
reads the mail and often responds to it.
"It is very unlikely that your congressman reads your
mail," Cucinella said. "If you write a letter soon
I will probably be the one to read it."
The internship is not just hard work Cucinella, said.
"A couple of nights a week, lobbyists throw these huge
parties with open bars, nice food and live music," said
Cucinella. "But then these lobbyists try to tell you
what they're selling and you know we don't have a clue and
we don't care because we are just interns."
The 20-year-old President's Scholar has taken a new look at
politics and how things are done in Capitol Hill.
"Just being here you learn how responsibility is delegated,"
Cucinella said. "You learn how the whole system works.
There are legislative assistants that handle every issue and
report back to the congressman. Before I thought he had his
hand in everything."
She said her thoughts on politicians and the stereotypes of
people in politics have changed drastically during her internship.
"Everyone is so nice here, you would expect the politicians
to be snobbish," Cucinella said. "You get in the
elevator with them and they just talk your ear off."
Visiting Capitol Hill, Cucinella said she was really amazed
of the area.
"The Capitol is an awesome building, it's pretty breathtaking,"
she said. "You can see where Lincoln gave speeches and
stand right there.
While in Washington D.C., Cucinella is also taking time to
see the sites in the area.
"The Panetta Institute paid for our plane ticket, our
hotel, food and transportation," said Cucinella. "We
had some leftover money so a bunch of us are going to take
a trip to New York City and watch a Broadway play."
The internship has made Cucinella think about her future plans
a bit closer.
"Going in, I wanted to become a lawyer and judge ultimately,"
she said. "It has made me consider being a congressman
or running for office. It's definitely tempting for everyone
in the program."
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Amy Cucinella
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