Name: Ashley Rajavadee
Type of Project: Study Abroad / Internship
My STEP signature project was an internship with the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, Ontario. I worked directly under a Member of Parliament on government duties and learned about the inner workings of the Canadian government.
My world view has definitely expanded as a result of this experience. I had never been to Ottawa before this internship, so living in this city independently gave me many experiences I had never experienced before. I didn’t realize how diverse Canada was and how it has many differences from the United States. Living in a city in general has brought out more of my own personality and understanding of myself. I love being in a STEM major but I also have a deep passion for public health.
Studying and working directly under a Member of Parliament gave me an incredible amount of experience in government work and specifically public health. My office was involved with the Health Committee, and because I am in the STEM field rather than political science, I found this incredibly interesting. Typically I saw healthcare from a scientific point of view. Through interacting with my office and Parliament Hill, I learned that healthcare depends almost solely on the decisions of politicians and industry.
After talking with my office mates and getting to know them over five weeks, I realized that political science is a very diverse field of study and there are many careers within government, no matter the country. Even though the United States and Canada have many differences in their government systems, there are still many people working in it to ensure the stability of the country.
The experiences that affected me the most during the duration of my stay in Canada were the interactions I had with politicians. It amazed me how accessible they were to the average citizen. I was able to meet one of my role models at a government reception, and I even met the leader of my office’s political party at a casual afternoon gathering. This made me realize that the people in these careers are real people and that someone like me could pursue a career like theirs.
This change in my views has opened up my mind to more opportunities to go after in my career and academic future. Though I am still planning on staying in the STEM field, I recognize the significance that the political scene has on health in the country. I am open to careers in public health or industry and believe that these paths were not fully recognized by me until I completed this internship. I have realized that I limited my career choices to a very small number prior to this internship, but now I can see how I am able to blend my love for healthcare with my passion for politics into a career perfect for me.