Matsui Center Washington Fellows

UCDC Fall 2022: Farewell D.C....for now

December 19, 2022
Anna Lorenzo

Being back in sunny California, I still have not fully processed that my time on Capitol Hill and in D.C. have concluded. Looking back, it was a bitter-sweet ending. On one hand, I desperately missed California’s weather, the diversity, the food, and of course, my friends and family. Yet, it was difficult accepting I would not be seeing my new friends every day, stepping foot on Capitol Hill (for a while at least), spontaneously visiting nearby states, or riding the subway.

Being three-thousand miles from home was initially very daunting. It...

UCDC Spring 2023: Fundraising and Development at the American Enterprise Institute

March 6, 2023
Nathan Jauregui

Being a deferred transfer, coming to Washington DC, and having the opportunity to work and live here has been an incredible and still unbelievable experience. At the American Enterprise Institute, I work in the development department, which means I get to work on the business and fundraising side of the think tank world, something I knew very little about prior to coming here. In my role, I research donors and their work which allows my department to fundraise and reach out to donors as efficiently as possible, and to enable AEI to continue in the work they're doing in both...

UCDC Spring 2023: The Washington D.C Forest and the Journey as a Hilltern, Part 1

March 12, 2023
Luis Leon Lopez

Taking part in the UCDC program was one of my main goals for my academic career since the first day I transferred to UC Berkeley. Public service is a field I have been interested in for a long time, but due to my circumstances I did not have the opportunity to be in that environment, therefore UCDC was the perfect program because I would be able to continue in my academic work while simultaneously getting the government experience I’ve been looking for. I wanted nothing more than to have an internship on the hill and to my surprise that was much easier said than done. I began to...

UCDC Spring 2023: Understanding Political & Cultural Life in DC through Observation & Communication

March 6, 2023
Alejandro Alvarez

Currently, I am an intern with the Washington Office of Congresswoman Matsui, who represents California’s 7th Congressional district encompassing the Sacramento and Elk Grove area. As a legislative intern, I am responsible for responding to constituent mail, conducting legislative research, answering constituent inquiries, and other administrative tasks. Due to my specific policy interest in environment and energy policy, the office has assigned specific tasks based on these interests. Some of my projects include researching EPA rulemaking, attending hearings related to...

UCDC Spring 2023: Exploring the Region via Amtrak and Witnessing the History of Resilience at the Public Defender's Service

May 1, 2023
Cecilia Wolfcale

My semester in D.C. flew by far more quickly than I could have ever imagined. Working forty hours each week while taking classes and exploring the city made the time speed by, but I truly believe that I made the most of my time on the East Coast. I toured the Capitol, House Chamber, Supreme Court, and even went to the White House on a spring garden tour. I explored many museums, monuments, and historical sites in D.C., and I also was able to visit nearby cities on the weekends. I visited New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Shenandoah National Park all thanks to Amtrak—I spent...

UCDC Spring 2023: Empowering Constituents, Engaging Energy and Environmental Policy Advocacy at Congresswoman Matsui's DC Office

May 1, 2023
Alejandro Alvarez

As I have interned for the Washington Office of Congresswoman Matsui, I have gained a greater appreciation for congressional public service work. Not only do most representatives and congressional staffers work long hours, but they care about their constituents’ opinions and input. When constituents contact their congressional offices, staffers and representatives factor in their opinions when crafting official political stances. Although I did not work for a district office, I witnessed indirectly how representatives’ district offices help and advocate for constituents...

UCDC Spring 2023: A Semester of Full of Potential - Exploring Intersecting Pathways into Public Service in DC

May 1, 2023
Nathan Jauregui

Living in Washington DC and being a part of the UCDC program has been an incredible experience. One aspect that I’m definitely taking away from this experience is the sheer amount of possibilities that are potentially open to graduating students. Working in Development was something I never considered or even was aware of, so working in this office and seeing the benefit of what is essentially fundraising in the political world is extremely eye-opening. As for the city and living experience, there was nothing I didn’t enjoy about my time in DC, I loved going to work and walking...

Rosie Echeverria

Class of 2023
2023 Democracy Camp in Berkeley
2023 Cal-in-Sacramento
2022 Schaeffer Fellowship
2022 Washington Fellowship
Placement: Rep. Adam Schiff - Burbank District Office Mentor: Colleen Oinuma

Rosie Echeverria was born and raised in East Hollywood, Los Angeles in a Central American immigrant household and she is a first-generation, low-income, EOP, DSP, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ student at UC Berkeley. She went to Santa Monica College (SMC) for about two and a half years then transferred and moved to UC Berkeley in Fall 2020, toward the beginning of the covid pandemic. She is a Political Science major with a minor in Public Policy and Education.

Her...

Lakhvir Singh

2021 Matsui Washington Fellow
Placement: Georgetown Law Criminal Justice Clinic Placement Location: Washington, D.C.

Lakhvir Singh is a student at University of California, Berkeley majoring in Political Science. I am currently in the US Army and a first-generation college student. I was born in Punjab, India, and immigrated to the United States of America at age of 18. I want to pursue a career in Law and work in the Department of Justice.

Maggie Tsao

2022 Matsui Washington Fellow