Alumni Spotlight: Anthony Miragliotta (Spring 2020)

My name is Anthony Miragliotta, I am a 2021 alumnus of Ramapo College of New Jersey. I graduated with a degree in Political Science with a double minor in Public Policy and American Studies. I was accepted by the Washington Internship Institute for the Spring 2020 semester.

I interned at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) focusing on state-level policy initiatives and advancing the Jeffersonian principles of limited government, free markets, and federalism. I worked in ALEC's public affairs department where I worked on a variety of projects, which included putting together public relations campaigns, monitoring media coverage, and a heavy dose of research, data analysis, and writing. A project that I was proud to have worked on during my time at ALEC was writing an article for the ALEC website about how my home state of New Jersey started handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

My favorite part about interning at ALEC is how I felt welcomed right from the get-go and I was treated like I was part of a family. In my first few days on the job, my bosses took me out for a welcome lunch to get to know me better and what I wanted to accomplish during my time at ALEC. Typically on Fridays, I would go out to get lunch with a small group of my colleagues. I made an effort to have at least one lunch with everyone on the team. I enjoyed getting to know all of my colleagues, whether they were in my department or not. I also enjoyed working with goal-oriented individuals who give their all when working on various projects.

I continued to hone in on a lot of my core skills during my semester in DC. I was able to continue to improve my writing and research skills while also learning how to navigate through Cision and Salesforce. I learned more about myself in my DC semester than in any other semester of my collegiate career. Everything I learned at ALEC I still use to this day. The professional skills, relationships, and projects I worked on have helped me tremendously in my career. Whether that is writing an article or press release or working on a political campaign, the experience I gained at ALEC remains very valuable to this day.

What was your favorite part about living in DC? Any Recommendations?

My favorite part about living in DC is there is always something to do. There are many museums to explore, great places to eat food, and a lot of historical sites to see. There is so much I can recommend doing. If you are looking for a great place to eat, I highly recommend Good Stuff Eatery, Bozzellis, and Kohinoor Dhaba. All are located in Crystal City. If you get the chance, go to one of the many conferences the DMV has to offer, like CPAC! I also recommend checking out the World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and stopping by the White House!

What advice do you have for future students/interns in our program?

Take advantage of your time in DC. You are only here for a few months so make the most of it. Next, always say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. You never know what experience will help lead you in your career. Lastly, always take advantage of networking opportunities. You never know who you will meet and who that person knows.