UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This summer, Penn State student Odessa Dando returned to her home state of California to serve as a congressional intern in the district office of U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo. The opportunity not only fostered a deeper connection with her home community but also opened her mind to a new career path.
Double majoring in political science and health policy and administration with a minor in global and international studies, the San Francisco Bay Area native has intentionally built an interdisciplinary education around her interest in public policy.
Dando came to Penn State as a health policy and administration student because of her interest in improving the quality of healthcare. As she progressed through the major, however, she said she found herself increasingly drawn to the policy issues shaping the healthcare industry and added political science as a second major.
“The classes between the two majors are pretty complementary,” Dando said. “Between the two course loads, I feel like I have a really balanced understanding of health policy and government systems.”
During her summer internship, Dando was charged with several responsibilities, including investigating problems faced by the district and coming up with possible solutions; assisting with the office’s social media and communication efforts; researching and creating potential proposals for legislation; engaging in outreach to members of the community; and helping oversee district programs.
“I’m glad I got to play a role in so many different aspects of the office: assisting with projects, communications, writing pieces of press releases, facilitating constituent outreach, and managing congressional records,” she said. “Through this opportunity, I found an interest in legislative affairs, specifically the communications aspect.”
Last summer, she worked for the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in San Francisco as a policy intern. There, she drafted and submitted letters of support to the California State Senate and Assembly; consolidated and reorganized the policy team’s legislative tracking system; and assessed stakeholder perspectives pertaining to affordable housing initiatives.
Beyond her internships, Dando has pursued opportunities at Penn State that have helped her explore public service, healthcare and leadership.
Since her second year, she has participated in the Next Gen Leadership Academy. Offered by the College of the Liberal Arts’ School of Public Policy, the program introduces students to careers in public service through networking, professional development and experiential learning opportunities.
“The Next Gen Leadership Academy is amazing at connecting students with local, federal and state-level politics,” she said. “I have been able to connect with so many other students interested in policy and have gotten exposure to a wide range of opportunities in public service.”