Coming into PLEN’s women in public policy seminar, I would use one word to describe my
attitude toward my career: overwhelmed. As a political science major, my area of study gives me a
variety of job options, which can be equal parts empowering and scary.
This seminar blew me away by improving my understanding of the career field. From
lobbyists to Senate staff directors, from government relations professionals to lawyers, PLEN drew
in a field of women in policy from a range of backgrounds that are working in a range of roles.
Before PLEN, I hadn’t put together how interconnected all work within the public policy field is.
Lobbyists and advocacy groups, non-profits, politicians, and policymakers all rely on each other to
push legislation and build good policy. It was inspiring to hear from such competent and passionate people about how they are working to find solutions to big issues.
We repeatedly were advised to find a passion and make plans, but don’t panic, because
things never work out how you anticipate they will. For example, we heard from people with
seemingly unusual backgrounds, like a community activist who started working as a Hill staffer or a trained attorney working as the president of a legal aid non-profit. It was interesting to see how each of these professionals leveraged their skills and experience to ascend in one sector or move into another. They were able to give insightful commentary on the differences between working in government, NGOs, and business, and helped me understand which positions might be suited best for me.
I was especially inspired by Wednesday’s panel on Capitol Hill and governance. These
women were clearly experts in their fields working in extremely high-stakes situations. One speaker,
Sarah Arkin, was late because she was on a call with the National Security Council! We learned about
the specifics of the structure of a congressional office, as well as the difference between working in
an office and on a committee.
I was especially inspired by Wednesday’s panel on Capitol Hill and governance. These
women were clearly experts in their fields working in extremely high-stakes situations. One speaker,
Sarah Arkin, was late because she was on a call with the National Security Council! We learned about
the specifics of the structure of a congressional office, as well as the difference between working in
an office and on a committee. The work sounded exciting, if frustrating at times, as so much
depends on the political environment of the moment. Moreover, the speakers drove home the importance of networking, finding mentors, and being confident and assertive. This was an idea that was echoed by many others working in D.C. who had used work on the Hill as a jumping off point
for the rest of their careers.
For me, I found that I was especially inspired by the people currently working in
government. Tuesday’s panelists were current Hill staffers, but we heard from many others who
started out working in the Capitol and transitioned to other roles. Even then, it was still striking how
many of the same skills were repeated across the seminar. We had sessions on specific skills, like
building a LinkedIn profile and learning to create a personal brand. Almost all speakers echoed the
same advice: hone your ability to speak and write clearly, be passionate, make yourself a person and not a piece of paper, and most importantly, network.
I left feeling equipped with the ability to set targeted career goals and knowing that I have
the skills to achieve them. The seminar was an incredibly valuable experience, and I am grateful to
the team at PLEN who have worked hard to create such an excellent experience. I’m not
overwhelmed anymore; thanks to PLEN, I’m excited to get to work.
Grace Ayyildiz attended the 2022 Public Policy seminar. She is a junior at Davidson College double majoring in political science and Latin American studies.