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Andre Achacon had already stepped into the political arena as an activist and Cal State Long Beach leader when, after his first flight to Washington, D.C., he headed straight to the Capitol.

“That was a moment that I will never forget, being with all of these other people from across the CSU who share very different backgrounds,” Achacon said. “A lot of us were first-generation and never thought that we would see the Capitol, but here we were.”

Achacon is the latest Beach student to go to Washington via the Congressional Internship Program, hosted by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at Cal State Monterey Bay. A third-year political science student minoring in finance and communications, he would like to work in political communications and aspires to eventually have his own White House access card.

������ has participated in the internship program, which covers travel and housing costs, for 26 years. Beach students of any major can immerse themselves in government’s inner workings, and the Panetta Institute annually sponsors interns from each CSU campus.  

Interns are assigned to write a policy paper and a reflective journal about their time in D.C. Political science professor Rich Haesly said getting an inside look at how congressional staffers and lobbyists work means the internship is essentially as substantive as a minor in political science.

“Being in D.C. is such an important aspect of how politics is done,” said Haesly, who advised Achacon. “It’s a way to see first-hand that it’s not just elected officials.”

Keeping pace

Achacon’s internship started with a heady two weeks at the Panetta Institute. Its namesake, former Obama Administration Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, led several guest speakers who shared their knowledge of working in and near government.

And later, after sightseeing at the Capitol, Achacon started his assignment with Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s staff inside the Cannon House Office Building. He began with day-to-day tasks: collecting press clippings, answering phone calls and organizing constituent correspondence.

Achacon’s internship took on a new dimension when Gomez, who represents Los Angeles, convened a housing summit. Achacon’s interest in photography proved to be an asset; it was up to him to capture images of members of Congress and other attending VIPS.

“That was a real cool experience, because it was very high pressure, “Achacon said. “It taught me about how quick and fast-paced Washington, D.C. is, and there are so many different people who come together to talk about these issues.”

Achacon’s work at the summit boosted his credibility, and he took on additional communications duties: More photography, plus video production and social media.

Capital conversations

Achacon’s busy days inside a House of Representatives office came to an abrupt halt on Oct. 1, the first day of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. He made the most of his time in D.C. by scheduling coffee chats with House and Senate staffers. Having conversations with professionals with family stories similar to his own was especially inspiring.

“It really felt like first-generation students and immigrants were honestly very underrepresented in Washington, D.C., which made every single person who was first-generation, and person from an immigrant background, even more inspiring to learn from,” he said.  

The son of immigrant parents, Achacon’s interest in politics grows from his desire for government to be more responsive to similarly situated families. These meetings encouraged Achacon to maintain hope for a career in government.

“I learned that you need to think about what you can change within your control, and every small step that you make will make a difference, no matter how small or large it is,” he said. “After you continue to make small changes, you stay committed and you stay motivated, and you remind yourself of why you’re there.”