TU senior spends her summer at the heart of Maryland public policy

By Kyle Hobstetter on August 9, 2017

When Towson University senior Andrea Salizzoni walked into the Career Center this past spring, she didn't know her visit would lead to an internship with the highest government office in Maryland over the summer. 

Salizzoni participated in the Governor’s Summer Internship Program (GSIP) through UMBC’s Public Service Scholars initiative. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native was one of 50 participants and worked in the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Registration (DLLR).

The sociology and anthropology major interned with the Family Crisis Center in Dundalk, Maryland, last summer and wanted to find another internship related to her field this year. 

“I knew I wanted to experience government work, specifically in the realm of legislation and public policy,” Salizzoni said. “I was surprised in my meeting at the Career Center to find out about the Governor’s Summer Internship Program. I applied because it seemed like a great opportunity to network with Maryland’s state legislators and other government officials and to get a real feel of what work in that area would be like.”

The GSIP fellowship consists of four components for its participants:

• Experience: Fellows are placed at a government agency full-time, four days a week, under the mentorship of a senior-level professional.
• Exploration: Fellows attend an orientation, seminars and field trips to strengthen their understanding of the functions of state government and policy making.
• Exposure: Fellows attend meetings, events and networking opportunities to connect with Maryland’s leaders.
• Practice: Fellows work together to put their knowledge and skills into practice, by researching and preparing a policy analysis and recommendation to present to the Governor and his cabinet. 

For Salizzoni, her GSIP experience gave her the chance to work on the process of drafting and implementation for the paid sick leave bill — which was a hot topic in the last legislative session in Annapolis. And in addition to her work at the Maryland DLLR, she was able to take a look at crime policy across Maryland—she is concentrating in criminal justice—and provide personal recommendations to the governor and his administration.  

“Being able to participate in the GSIP fellowship has been an unreal experience,” Salizzoni said. “I have been challenged in my work every day, but it has immensely expanded on my knowledge of government and politics. I have met state delegates, board commissioners, department secretaries, and even Governor Hogan on more than one occasion.

“I feel as through this program as turned me into a young professional who can now interact in a variety of settings—a skill necessary for anyone engaging in political work.”

Up next for Salizzoni is finishing up her last school year at TU. She plans on getting a master’s degree in public policy and eventually acquiring a doctorate in a similar area. And while she would like to work in government administration and legislation, she would like to end up taking her field experience to the classroom as a college professor. 

Between her experiences with GSIP and at TU, the senior feels more than prepared for the next chapters of her life.

“My professors at TU have helped me every step of the way to create my own path to success and have given me the tools to get me there,” Salizzoni said. “I feel sufficiently prepared not only to wrap up my studies at TU on a high note, but I feel equipped with a solid professional network and the practice knowledge necessary in my field of choice.”