Internships Help Shape Student’s Future in Public Policy

Internships Help Shape Student's Future in Public Policy

By Eric Breier

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Illeana Carmona Chavez arrived at Cal State San Marcos certain she was headed for law school. But after she graduates with her bachelor's in criminology and justice studies this spring, she will embark on a far different course, one that has taken her from student government to the governor's office.

The change in focus was shaped by her deep involvement in Associated Students, Inc., where she serves as the chair and chief of staff of CSUSM's student government. Through ASI, Chavez joined Lobby Corps, an advocacy-focused volunteer group, and later traveled to Sacramento for the California Higher Education Student Summit, where she met with state legislators alongside students from across the CSU system.

But the final realization of where her career was headed came from an internship opportunity. It was through ASI that Chavez met Zach Bunshaft, CSUSM's director of government relations at the time.

"Interning with Zach and seeing how higher education policies at the state level affected our campus was so impactful," Chavez said. "These opportunities, being part of ASI and interning with Zach, changed the trajectory of my life and what I want to do."

CSUSM's emphasis on internships proved transformational for Chavez. It not only prepared her for the professional world, it helped her discover the type of work that she's truly passionate about.

During her time as a government relations intern last spring, Chavez researched legislative officials to strengthen CSUSM's advocacy efforts, engaged with policymakers at key events and explored ways to enhance student support across the region.

As the internship was nearing its end, Bunshaft met with Chavez to review the experience. When Bunshaft asked about Chavez's future goals, she told him how much she enjoyed the internship and how the experiences she had were the types of spaces she wanted to be in.

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The timing was perfect. Bunshaft had just learned about another internship opportunity with Gov. Gavin Newsom's office. Bunshaft mentored Chavez throughout the hiring process, and she was hired as an external affairs intern for Newsom's San Diego regional office. Her responsibilities included everything from supporting outreach efforts to drafting briefs and assisting with newsletters.

"Illeana is a thoughtful, driven and reliable leader with an incredibly bright future," said Bunshaft, who left CSUSM in December to become Newsom's Southern California regional director of external affairs. "She has the innate ability to see the big picture and work together with others to inspire and achieve common goals.

"I've had the pleasure of watching her confidence and skills grow with each new opportunity she enthusiastically embraces. I'm excited to see all that she will continue to accomplish in her academics, career and public service journey."

Chavez completed the internship with Newsom's office in December. As she begins her final semester at CSUSM, she's already looking ahead to the fall. She's in the process of applying for graduate school to pursue a master's in public policy or public administration (Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State and San Diego State are her top choices).

She'll take the lessons she learned in her internships with her to grad school and beyond. She knows the internship process can be intimidating for students, but she has seen firsthand how it pays off.

"The connections that we make in these internships, you never know where they're going to lead you," she said. "I never imagined that doing an unpaid internship with Zach was going to lead me to the governor's office.

"Whether it's paid or unpaid, there are so many opportunities. No matter what, even if it seems like you are the most unqualified person in the room to do that job, just go for it. You never know what can come of that opportunity."

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