The Intern Journal: Senator Chuck Schumer

Kylie Maher '27 applied for a summer internship with the U.S. Senate minority leader, but realistically, she didn't expect to hear anything back. Of course, she had no way of knowing just how good Siena was going to look on the application.

When U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer got out of the car in Syracuse, he spotted the interns in a sea of people even before they spotted him.

"He knew right away who we were. He came directly over to us," said Kylie.

There are 62 counties in New York state, and Schumer, who has led the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017, visits each county every year. It was a pledge he made during his first campaign, and one he's now fulfilled for a record 27 years running. To help coordinate the annual cross-county tour, the five-term senator leans on his staff and interns operating eight regional and district offices throughout the state (which Schumer maintains in addition to his main Washington, D.C. office). This summer, Kylie interned in Schumer's Syracuse office, and met the senator on one of his two stops to Central N.Y. this summer. The Harvard graduate paid her quite the compliment.

"I told him I'm majoring in political science at Siena, and he said, 'Oh Siena, that's a really great school.' I was working with other interns from Wesleyan College and American University, and he didn't say anything about those schools!"

Kylie, who is from the Syracuse area, took an interest in politics thanks to an AP government class in high school. Initially, she imagined working for a political party in D.C., but as she begins her senior year, she's leaning more toward a career in public policy. Kylie's mom is a third grade teacher.

"I'm really interested in education policy. I know the challenges teachers face, and I'd like to be an advocate. Also, if every student had equal opportunity to an education, our world would be a much better place."

Len Cutler, Ph.D., professor of political science, helped Kylie secure her first internship last year with the New York State Assembly. She parlayed that experience into one of four internship spots in Schumer's Syracuse office this summer (from more than 25 applicants), and she'll be interning with one of the top lobbying firms in the state this fall. It was partly the access to politics in New York's capital that drew Kylie to Siena in the first place; it was also the community. Both are paying off.

"The political science department is amazing. Every single professor is so helpful. I don't think I would have gotten the internship this summer if not for the connections I've made through the faculty here and the opportunities they've provided."

Next, Kylie's interested in pursuing a master's in public policy, possibly at Syracuse University, where living at home would be a bonus. But, she'll have to leave Siena first.

"Siena is the best decision I've ever made. I don't want to graduate. I honestly had enough credits to graduate three semesters ago; I just didn't want to. Thankfully my parents told me to stay. I just love Siena."

She has that in common with the senior senator from New York.