My name is Lexie Kamran and I’m a current sophomore at Chapman studying Business Administration with a minor in Law, Justice, and Social Control. I recently started a new position as a Social Media and Communications Intern for the Justin Krebs 2021 Campaign for City Council. I’ve always been intrigued by the enigma that is politics and hoped to someday get a firsthand look at what really goes on behind a political campaign and an election, so I was super excited when I got the offer for this position.

By the time I landed this internship, I had applied to around 50 internships starting back in January without any luck. I had revised my resume, cover letter, and application strategy with Argyros School Career Services a few times until I felt confident sending out applications to employers. As time passed and summer was quickly approaching, I was feeling more and more discouraged and demotivated in my internship search. Finally, I received an interview request from the Justin 2021 campaign. I had noticed the internship position while scrolling through Handshake a couple of weeks prior and decided to apply on a whim.

If I’ve learned anything through this process, it is that how many internships you apply for doesn’t matter as much as making a connection with a single recruiter. I’ve always thought about “using connections” to get a position as something that should be looked down upon and that is unfair, but I’ve come to realize that every person has a wide network of connections, and it only reflects positively on a person to be resourceful and use them. If you’re a student at Chapman, your professors are your best connections.