As my internship has now come to a close, I will be checking in one last time with a reflection about this experience. I have gained many new skills throughout my internship on the Hill, and I am excited to share some takeaways from my experience. 

Academically, I gained a deeper appreciation for the intersectionality of disciplines. I am currently studying on the pre-med track at Pitt, and I am passionate about both medicine and policy. This internship enabled me to further develop my interest in policy while exploring the intersection between medicine and policy. In the future, I aim to continue exploring this intersection in order to combine my passions for both fields. 

At Pitt, I plan to continue engaging in opportunities in the medical and policy fields while exploring experiences in which I can merge both. In doing so, I will be able to further develop both of my passions while learning more about their commonalities. 

Moreover, I have learned the importance of public service. This internship experience has opened my eyes to the value of public service, and I have gained a deeper appreciation for working in public service. I aim to continue exploring the field of public service in the future as it can have a significant impact on communities. 

I have seen some notable growth in myself throughout my internship experience as well. In addition to having the opportunity to explore my passions, working on the Hill has enabled me to gain new skills and develop old skills. As I discussed in my previous blog posts, public service requires empathy, and I have been able to sharpen my ability to empathize throughout this experience. 

Additionally, I have seen personal and professional growth in my ability to react to uncertain situations. Prior to interning on the Hill, I found discomfort in uncertainty. However, I no longer face this discomfort. Interning on the Hill requires an inevitable level of comfort in uncertainty due to constantly altering current events and situations. Consequently, I have seen personal growth in my ability to be adaptive and flexible as situations develop. 

Overall, interning in the Senate was an absolutely incredible experience in which I was able to further explore my passions while growing personally and professionally. I am immensely grateful for everyone in my office and the William J. Keefe Congressional Fellowship committee. This internship was definitely one that I will never forget, and I am so thankful that I had this opportunity.