Undergrads spend an Albany semester as interns in the state Assembly

Students who interned for members of the state Assembly this semester in the Capital Semester Program -- shown in the New York State Assembly Chamber with Associate Professor Charles McClintock, fifth from left -- are, from left: Kendall Segars, policy analysis and management (PAM); Rebecca Ciota, PAM; Lauren Hughes, human development (HD); Jessica Passero, PAM/HD; McClintock; Lisa Tallon, PAM/HD; Elizabeth Abunaw, PAM; Lauren Costantino, PAM; Ursula Lam, HD; Le Lu, PAM. Missing: Bryan Pease, HD. Ricard Photography

By Susan Lang

Rather than writing term papers among the Ivy-clad towers of Cornell's campus, 10 undergraduate students are spending their spring semester researching and writing policy briefs, news releases, newsletter items, draft legislation, letters to constituents, summaries of bills and more in New York's state capital of Albany.

They are part of Cornell's Capital Semester Program, administered through the New York State College of Human Ecology, in which student interns earn Cornell course credits, as well as stipends, while interning in New York State legislators' offices. The interns in the Cornell program have worked on issues this semester ranging from domestic partnerships and insurance contraceptive coverage to Lyme disease, charter schools and the U.S. Navy's military testing on the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico.

"Students specify their particular interests and then we match those interests to a legislator who works in those areas," said Charles McClintock, the Cornell professor of policy analysis and management (PAM) who supervises the spring course, PAM 392: New York State Government Affairs, in Albany. "The interns do everything from research and draft legislation, track bills, meet with constituents, reporters and lobbyists, prepare for committee hearings and attend committee meetings."

Throughout the semester, the students meet with McClintock in a seminar to analyze the policy process. The Capital Semester Program is part of the New York State Assembly Internship Program (sponsored by the New York State Assembly Intern Committee), which draws students from 30 colleges and universities.

As part of the Assembly internship program, the students also take one of two courses: Partisan Politics and Policy Debates in New York or Legislative Politics, Representing and Coordinating Political Diversity in New York.

Rebecca Ciota, a junior in policy analysis and management from Somers, N.Y., indicated that she was interested in women's health, disabilities and the environment. She was matched with Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, who represents Greenwich Village and surrounding areas in New York City.

"While in her office, I have worked extensively with sexual minority and women's issues," Ciota said. "Most notably, I have prepared an in-depth analysis of domestic partnerships in New York state. Now, I am drafting new legislation on the topic, which will be introduced in the next session."

Ciota also has been researching numerous topics, such as the issue of mandating that insurance cover the costs of contraceptives, and comparing policies on those issues in different states and then presenting the findings to Glick.

"Each session day, I prepare the Calendar of Bills, which consists of all bills being brought to the floor of the Assembly for a vote on a specific day. I will research each bill and determine if it is something that the assemblymember would support for her district," said Ciota.

"I have learned a great deal about state government and the legislative process during this internship," she says. "New York state has the most professional legislature in the country, making this a truly extraordinary experience. Having been in Albany for nearly the entire session, I have seen the majority of what goes on behind the scenes in the legislative process. It has been both exciting and exacerbating."

Kendall Segars, 28, a PAM senior from North Amityville, N.Y., said his interests were banking, business and consumer issues. He was matched with Assemblywoman Aurelia Greene, who represents the Bronx and is chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Banks and former chair of the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection.

"I was able to utilize research that I had compiled in Professor Sharon Tennyson's class, Economics of Consumer Policy, concerning predatory lending practices as it relates to the mortgage lending industry taking advantage of minorities and the elderly," said Segars, who plans to go to law school next year. "I prepared an analysis of these practices and have been working with Assemblymember Greene to implement legislation that would prevent such transactions from occurring.

"The experience has given me an intimate education into legislative politics and has served as a perfect bridge between school and law school," he said.

The Capital Semester is open to any Cornell student and preference is given to juniors and seniors with policy and government backgrounds. Since the program is only offered in the spring semester, students need to plan early in relation to housing and fall semester course work. Applications are due in early fall, but each applicant must meet with McClintock prior to completing an application.

For more information, contact McClintock at ccm1@cornell.edu or at 255-2514, and review the detailed fact sheet online at http://www.human.cornell.edu/student/facts.cfm.