Passions: politics and media, rowing, stand-up comedy
Interning at NBC’s Meet the Press during the presidential election was an incredible experience. The show’s staff is small, so interns have lots of responsibility. One of my jobs was to research every campaign promise Barack Obama and John McCain made. On Sundays, I’d escort Tom Brokaw and assist him during the live tapings.
I was at the studio all election night helping the NBC and MSNBC commentators. These experts were so excited – that showed me how important the election really was. I stood in the craziness of the newsroom listening to Michael Beschloss explain how, with Obama’s election, Americans finally fulfilled Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream. I hadn’t thought of it that way, and it really hit home.
During my Washington Semester, I also researched and wrote my thesis on the 2008 Amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This was the first time I’d thrown myself into the issue of disability, even though I was born without a right arm and only part of my left. Professor Jeffrey Reno, my advisor, encouraged me to pursue it.
I look at my disability as a special challenge I’ve been given. I need to solve problems differently. For example, I’m the coxswain on the rowing team, and I use one hand instead of two to steer the boat. It’s a good thing that I love being the underdog!
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