Spring CHIP Fellow Bahar Babagoli Reflects on Internship with Rep. Katie Porter
Pezeshkan Family Capitol Hill Internship Program Fellow Bahar Babagoli is a junior at Chapman University’s Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, majoring in psychology with a minor in political science. This Spring, she interned in the office of Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-47).
“This past Spring, I had the valuable opportunity to intern for Congresswoman Katie Porter’s district office in Orange County, California. I am incredibly grateful for PAAIA and their endless support guiding me through the process of applying for a congressional internship. As an Orange County native, I was very excited to work for Congresswoman Porter’s district office as I have admired her throughout her political career.
As a psychology and political science student, I was eager to apply to be a CHIP fellow to better understand the role of government in healthcare and mental health resources. Being a CHIP fellow this past semester has been such an enriching experience because I was able to better understand the intricacies of legislation and policies. It was a very valuable experience being able to work for Congress and interact with the constituents of Congresswoman Porter’s district as I worked on immigration casework and assisted the constituents who came across issues with federal agencies.
As someone who is extremely passionate about public health and public policy, this internship allowed me to gain a better understanding of the appropriate steps needed to go forward with policymaking. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in public policy by targeting crucial systemic issues relating to public health such as access to mental health resources.
Not only was I able to interact with numerous individuals from Congresswoman Porter’s offices in DC and the district, but I was also able to connect with successful Iranian Americans who are civically engaged. These Iranian American mentors that PAAIA connected me with have truly contributed a lot to my internship experience and inspired me to continue my passion for civic engagement. My experience working for Congresswoman Porter and being a CHIP fellow this past semester has really allowed me to better understand the path that I would like to take after I graduate from Chapman University.”
June 11, 2024
