Hello

This summer I will be interning with Greg Stanton's campaign for Mayor of the City of Phoenix.  I am an MPA student and should be finished with my degree this summer.  My work history is a mixture of banking and political campaigns and my goal is to earn my degree and transition (i.e., find a job) into the public sector.  I don't have a strong interest in any particular area but it's probably better that way because I am fully expecting to have to take an entry-level public sector position (if I can get one) in this job market.  I am open to whatever opportunity becomes available and my primary focus is becoming a public servant.

I began my time on the campaign in May; this is my fifth week.  The work that I have done so far deals primarily with fundraising.  I work with the contributions (checks, cash, and credit/debit card), the database (NGP), the VAN (Voter Activation Network).  I also interact with contributors on the phone and at fundraising events, research potential donors, and make sure that thank-you letters from the candidate are sent. 

While I haven't worked on a Mayor's race before, I have worked in campaign fundraising and a lot of what I have done is familiar.  I really enjoy campaign work, especially the "behind the scenes" duties.  I also feel most comfortable in the campaign work setting because everyone (staff, interns, volunteers...the candidate) is focused on a common goal:  electing someone to office whom we are confident will do a great job once elected. 

What makes it even better is that this candidate, Greg Stanton, is a public servant who would have my support even if I weren't doing this internship.  He is experienced and very well-prepared to be Mayor of Phoenix and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be a part of the effort to help him win this election and earn credit for my MPA at the same time.