July 22, 2010

Steven Avila has a passion for politics and government, and that passion will soon take him to Washington, D.C.

The 21-year-old senior business major at CSU Monterey Bay will spend the fall semester working in the office of a member of the California delegation through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy's Congressional Internship program.

Steven sees it as an opportunity to be among people who share his enthusiasm for public policy as well as a chance to see things from a different perspective.

"It may sound like a cliché, but it really is the opportunity of a lifetime," the Palmdale resident said.

To him, business and politics go hand-in-hand.

His business classes focus on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. "All those things are important and relevant for any major," he said, and good preparation for anyone who aspires to hold public office.

"Many of our most respected leaders were once business owners, entrepreneurs. Our economy is still struggling; I believe it takes the insight and experience of a good businessman/woman to help shape the policies of tomorrow."

Steven's political resume includes serving in student government while in high school and helping with voter registration drives while a student at Antelope Valley College.

His parents have always been politically minded, and that served to inspire him as well.

"My mother, an elementary school teacher, and my father, a Los Angeles police officer, always kept me involved in the world around me," he said.

"Whether I was helping my mother protest at the school district or attending a union meeting with my dad, I was always involved. It was these small events that inspired me to take an interest in government, and make my voice heard."

That kind of activism inspired him to volunteer for a Service Learning assignment at the Sally Griffin Center in Pacific Grove.

"Steven brought many skills to our senior center," Andrea Fuerst, director of the center, wrote in a letter supporting his application for the internship. "His business skills were welcome in our computer coaching and training programs. He helps in the kitchen, delivers meals to homebound seniors, and works in our weekly produce market."

He hopes to meld his interests in business, policy and people – there's the triple bottom line again – into a career in alternative energy.

"The United States has the money and resources to develop the 'next big thing' and I would love to be a part of it. Not only is it great for business, but it also has the potential to create an entire new industry with new jobs and growth for this economy. It's just another example of how business directly affects politics.

"While in Washington, I'd love to work for a Congressmember who is working on this new technology."

Steven is one of 25 students selected for the program. Each of the 23 campus presidents in the CSU system selects a student; one comes from Santa Clara University, another from Dominican University.

The program begins with an intensive two-week course at the Panetta Institute at CSUMB during which elected officials and other government staff members explain how the legislative process actually works. Then each intern is assigned to work for 10 weeks in the Capitol Hill office of a member of the California Congressional delegation.

"There's just no substitute for this kind of firsthand experience," Institute Director Sylvia Panetta is quoted as saying on the institute's website. "We've had tremendous cooperation from our members of Congress – both Republicans and Democrats – in working with our students."

The Panetta Institute covers costs associated with the program, including airfare and housing in Washington. Each intern also receives a stipend to help cover other expenses.

Steven plans to take full advantage of the opportunity afforded by the internship.

"Someday I would love to run for office," he said. "When my third-grade teacher told the class that anyone could be President of the United States, it really resonated with me. I'm not saying I want to be president, but I believe that if you work hard and do the right thing, there is opportunity to be had."

More information on the Panetta Institute's Congressional Internship program.