While CSU East Bay students return to their classes this fall, the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship winner for CSUEB, Sociology major Emily Flemming will be living in Washington D.C. There, she will be working in the Capitol Hill office of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from late August through mid-November to gain first-hand experience in American politics.
“This internship will change my perspective not only of politics and government, but of the position I want to play in my future career and the type of leadership role I can see myself in, and for that I’m grateful,” said Flemming.
“Since, I want to make the biggest impact I can I’m looking forward to getting a glimpse of what it’s like to work on the behalf of others on a national level,” the Castro Valley resident stated to CSUEB Communications and Publicity Specialist Diane Daniel.
Flemming will begin the internship program at the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at the CSU Monterey Bay campus for an intense two-week course with elected officials, government staff, policy experts and Panetta Institute professors, who will explain the legislative process and provide information on key issues facing the nation. Then, she will spend 11 weeks in Washington, D.C. working full-time while attending special seminars and workshops with key administration personnel.
The 23 college students selected to participate in the Panetta internship program were chosen based on their outstanding scholastic achievements and their keen interest in politics and public policy. Although Flemming holds a 3.9 GPA, she says the most challenging part was applying for the internship.
“The application required time, time that I didn’t think I had,” said Flemming. “I was taking 20 units, working several on-call part time jobs throughout the Bay Area, cutting hair, babysitting, volunteering and being an emergency counselor and crisis counselor,” said Flemming. “It was hard enough balancing those things, let alone anything else, but for some reason this opportunity just seemed like it was worth going for,” she added.
The Panetta Institute will cover program costs at CSU Monterey Bay campus services during orientation, air travel to Washington D.C. and housing. Plus, she will receive a stipend to help cover other expenses and earn 20 units towards her college course work.
Flemming impressed the Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social services, Holly Vugia, when she sought the possibility of arranging an independent study on rape and sexual assault trauma last December.
“It takes a certain confidence to approach a professor with an identified interest and ask for support in making a plan to seek advanced study on the topic,” said Vugia. “Flemming has a desire and ability to work on trauma issues that can be very intense, painful, enraging and has the potential to lead to sleepless nights!
But Flemming demonstrates the self-awareness and maturity to modulate that stress, and begin to learn when she needs self-care and how to keep client trauma separate from her own life.”
Before getting into independent study, Flemming volunteered to train as a crisis counselor for sexual assault and rape victims, which involved a one-year commitment at a hotline as well as on-call shifts of four to seven hours at Burlingame’s Rape Trauma Services, where she works on the 24 hour crisis hotline.
For Flemming’s independent study assignment, she presented an hour-long sexual oppression program on rape and sexual assault to a class of approximately 60 undergraduates.
“I wasn’t sure how it would go considering I’m an undergrad student and I don’t have any advanced degree or what not, but it went really well,” said Flemming.
“I love public speaking and being a motivational speaker would be a dream job for me, so the size of the group didn’t matter as much as the material, since so many people are affected by it and so little people talk about it.”
As the independent study came to an end, Flemming gained a social service option as a part of her major. In order for her to attend the Panetta Internship in the fall, Flemming and Vugia will be making a plan to do some required classes through independent study over the summer.
“Flemming is motivated, a self starter, compassionate and very grounded, which enables her to work well in crisis and high pressure situations,” said Vugia.
With the Panetta Internship, Flemming will be working in a macro level system, which Vugia says is quite a different role from crisis support counseling, where Flemming can utilize her skills to serve as a change-agent. However, Vugia feels confident Flemming will learn quickly due to her strong observational and people focused skills.
“Flemming offers an empowering example to all of us of ‘going for it’-aspiring with vision and determination,” said Vugia.
Flemming hopes to gain a minor in political science through the Panetta Internship and in the future she says she would really like to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I learned all about the Democratic Republic of Congo and how rape has been used as such a detrimental weapon of war there, in addition to the mass killings that were occurring. I would want to be a part of some effort for helping the victims there,” she said.
