MPA student Stasik Winderbaum tells us about his Congressional Internship at the U.S. House of Representatives, how his background in the arts is consistent with his work in public affairs, and more.

You have a background in the arts – what have you found to be the relationship between that and public affairs?
I think the motivating factors that drive those in the arts and those pursuing a career in the public sector tend to be surprisingly similar. I went to SUNY New Paltz for my Bachelor’s degree, and spent much of my time there pursuing writing and acting in a very sort of bohemian, free-spirited kind of way. Not that I don’t still hold those traits, but as you can imagine, transitioning to Baruch for a Master of Public Administration was certainly a different kind of endeavor that took some getting used to. There’s no doubt those two experiences have been quite different, but I’ve found that if you really look under the hood, so to speak, of both of those things you find very quickly that they aren’t all that different.

This general need to contribute something to one’s larger community, and bring your own unique voice and ideas to a collaborative space to achieve that positive change, is consistent across both endeavors. It’s really just a matter of the methods you want to use, what you feel is most impactful, and what’s most consistent with your skills and what you want your life to look like. I’ve also found that the arts-to-public-sector pipeline is incredibly wide. I’d venture to say that most of the people I’ve met between working on local political campaigns, in administrative roles, and in my internship on Capitol Hill, have all had some background or at least a deep-seated interest in the arts. This spans across writers, performers, graphic designers; the list goes on. So I think in a certain sense it serves as evidence of my observation.

It was comforting to find this, too, as I was incredibly nervous getting into public affairs a couple of years ago that I’d feel out of place among the policy wonks and economically-literate folks who’d I’d assuredly be interacting with. That hasn’t been the case at all and I’ve been thrilled, too, to be able to use a lot of the communication, design, and planning skills I picked up in the performing arts in much of my public sector work so far. It’s all very transferable, so to be able to lean into my existing background a little bit has been really great.

Tell us about your time in D.C. and your Congressional Internship at the U.S. House of Representatives during The Washington Semester.
It was simultaneously a wonderful and stressful experience. I worked for the office of Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), and the staff in that office were all wonderful people. It was interesting to see how the legislative and communications teams interacted, and just how much crossover there was in what each staff member needed to be dialed into. Needless to say, it’s hard to work on the messaging of a bill if you don’t understand its contents, so I really admired how sharp all the folks in the office were and how they had such a great handle on such a broad array of policy areas. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work with them in reviewing legislation that the Congressman introduced in the 116th Congress (2019-2021), and to see if there was a way to restructure pieces of them for reintroduction in the 117th and beyond, based on continued relevance to the nation and the district, and the Congressman’s priorities.

They were amazing in allowing me and my fellow interns (endearingly referred to as “Young Professionals”) to really get our hands dirty with essentially every function of the office, between constituent correspondence, communicating with other offices, doing policy research for potential bills, and preparing for events in the Capitol including the Congressman’s hosting of the President of the Dominican Republic in September, who we all got to shake hands with. My own specific experience included a lot of work with the communications team, as they quickly caught on to my background in writing and the arts. I helped them in designing event graphics, drafting talking points for interviews the Congressman was preparing for, publishing press releases and social media statements, and numerous other media-related endeavors that allowed me to contribute a slice of my own creative ideas into the fray. Also, on a personal level, they were all just really nice people, so I really have nothing but good things to say about Team Espaillat.

The stressful side was what you’d expect from Capitol Hill: the political world itself is not for the faint of heart. It is, of course, very divisive, it’s often quite negative, and it’s sometimes outright hard to watch just how in-bad-faith many of the arguments on the House floor seem to be. It’s disheartening to see the dysfunction of the legislative branch that follows from these issues, and I say all of this not to make a political statement, but simply to tell you that this was probably the most difficult aspect, mentally, of working on the hill. Disillusionment is easy, to be sure. But I was endlessly encouraged by those I connected with throughout the semester, who made it abundantly clear that there are still an abundance of people in government who are there for the right reasons.

Why should students spend a semester in Washington, D.C.?
If you have any interest or inclination towards the crafting, or even greater understanding, of the way public policy is formed, there is no better location to do that than Washington, DC. I think to really get a grasp on something that can be so complex – especially on the federal level – you really need to jump into the deep end and get a feel for it directly. Working in a Congressional office was, of course, a great way to do this, but my classmates who worked in other organizations, such as in the Department of Commerce and in some amazing nonprofits, got a great feel for it as well. It’s like being in Los Angeles or New York if you want to be a filmmaker, you need to be where it happens, if only to be around the folks who work in the heart of that industry and to make those connections. It’s the same thing for public affairs. Additionally, in the instance of policy-making, there’s so much that goes into it beyond the surface-level forming of it in a legislative body. Personal relationships, deal-making, miscommunication, changes in staff, and really just unavoidable human error can all have a massive impact on how these things play out.

Beyond that, and perhaps selfishly, I think DC is just a really great city. I had a blast getting to know each corner of it, between going to museums, monuments, and restaurants. I spent the semester likening it to the best parts of the northern and southern United States, in that it includes all of the history, culture, and fun things to do of a place like New York City, while also boasting slightly warmer weather, and a much more open, walkable setup. Additionally – and this is my shameless Baruch promo – The Washington Semester program really does a great job in providing and tying together this entire experience through the internship, classes, and the opportunity to check out historical sites like the National Archives each week. It is certainly a worthwhile experience and I really do hope to return to DC sometime in the future.

What’s your favorite class so far?
Oddly enough, I’d have to say Budgeting and Financial Analysis, which I took in my first semester. It’s not the kind of class I’d typically find engaging beyond its practical applications and relevance to the public sphere, but it really taught me to take a much deeper look into the implications of an effective financial plan and the different methods to allocate funds. It is, of course, a foundational thing to understand, and I appreciated the course for having come away from it having a tangibly greater grasp on those concepts, especially as someone who does not have a background in finance. A great principle that I came away from it with, as well, was, “Don’t tell me your priorities, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what your priorities are,” a quote that my professor repeated a few times but I know has been attributed in some form to a variety of people. That really stuck with me. That said, and it’s a bit of a cop-out answer, I’ve really enjoyed all of my classes at Baruch so far, and have gotten a lot out of them, whether they were in New York or Washington. I’m thrilled to be back in the city this semester and I’m excited for what lies ahead.