Policy Interns Pursue Passions

Jackson Daftari (Agribusiness Management; Fishers, IN.) and Jayden Simpson (Agricultural Economics/Policy and Pre-Law; Roachdale, IN) both recently completed internships in Indianapolis, IN. Jackson sought out a summer internship between his sophomore and junior years to diversify his experiences and expand his professional network. Jayden, however, says that his internship “fell into [his] lap.” Jayden was not planning to complete an internship as he expected policy internships to be reserved for upperclassmen. Jackson, seeking an internship, decided to apply for an internship position in Senator Todd Young’s office after reading about the opportunity in the Senator’s monthly newsletter. Though they were both completing policy-related work in the same city, their experiences looked a little different.

As an intern in Senator Young’s office, Jackson was tasked with answering phone calls and responding to constituent’s mail. By doing this, Jackson really learned about the importance of connecting with people and allowing their voices to be heard. Throughout his time in the senator’s office, he also was able to continue to explore his interest in law and the legislative process as a whole. He mentioned, “My favorite part of this internship was when Senator Young personally thanked all of us for our hard work.”

Interning with the Indiana Farm Bureau, Jayden was tasked with a wide variety of responsibilities. Jayden stated that some of his tasks included “tracking bills and committee work, giving briefings to Indiana Farm Bureau members visiting the statehouse as well as coordinating logistics of their visit, and planning dinners with legislators.” This experience, Jayden says, has enabled him to realize that lobbying is something that [he] wants to do for a career. His biggest takeaway from the internship was learning to step outside of his comfort zone.

Both Jackson and Jayden are looking forward to pursuing future internships like the ones they just completed. Jackson’s advice to other students is “remember not to limit yourself or your opportunities. An internship is a great way to explore what best suits your path. Consider reaching out to Purdue alumni as they are always looking to help students.” Jayden echoes this and advises students to “live in the moment, go with your gut, and find your passion.”