By Quinn Kropschot
Staff Writer
This summer, sophomore Maggie Hackney received the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of interning for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Hackney performed various jobs at Villaraigosa’s office throughout the summer, which included answering phones, writing briefs about upcoming events and checking in press members at state conferences. She worked about six to eight hours a day for two to three days a week.
“Working for the mayor was difficult, but I got a lot of work experience, and I became more aware about major issues in Los Angeles,” Hackney said.
Hackney is a member of Mira Costa’s Model United Nations program. According to Hackney, the internship with Villaraigosa helped deepen her understanding of how major political offices and programs are run. Hackney experienced what it was like to sit in on official press conferences.
“I was able to learn a lot more about public speaking skills from this experience, and I plan on using these skills in my future debates,” Hackney said.
One of Hackney’s personal goals is to study political science and international relations in college. The internship helped show her that political science is a career she wishes to pursue.
“This internship really helped me realize that I love political science and government, and I always want it to be a major part of my life,” Hackney said.
Hackney, throughout her internship, experienced the contrast of what it was like to be a Los Angeles citizen living in East Los Angeles. She commonly saw political disruption from the Occupy Movement in Central Los Angeles.
“The scariest experience that I had was when we reopened the City Hall Park after it was closed by the Occupy Los Angeles protesters,” Hackney said. “When we were reopening it some protesters showed up and were shouting expletives at us.”
Hackney was the youngest intern in the mayor’s office. The majority of the employees and interns were about 25 years old. According to Hackney, the office began as a daunting space, but it evolved into a comfortable place for her to work and pursue her passion.
“At first, it was intimidating to walk into an office full of strangers, but I quickly connected with them, and the office became a welcoming atmosphere for me,” Hackney said.
According to Hackney, the most rewarding part of the internship was experiencing the responsibilities of an adult in the workforce. Hackney also learned what it was like to be independent and self-reliant.
“The most rewarding part of my experience was that I got to have a taste of the real adult world,” Hackney said. “I had to work hard to get respect.”
Although Hackney learned many things at her internship, she maintains that the most valuable lesson she learned was to enjoy the time she has as a kid.
“Working is hard, and I now have a greater appreciation for the amazing opportunities I have be given,” Hackney said.”
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