To Conclude...

Hey guys!

     I just wanted to share with you a few goals that I actually attained in doing this internship with the Senate. One of my main goals was to get a better idea of the workplace in terms of ethics and professionalism. This was definitely the perfect place to get an idea of the wide variety of formalities found within different work environments and how important it is to be knowledgeable of them.
      As for the goal of a clearer career path to follow, I can say I know for sure I probably would not want to be a Senator lol. Nothing against them, I just don't know if I could personally deal with the pressure and always being the one at fault. With that being said, this whole experience has allowed me to peek into the legislative process and I am very intrigued by what I have seen and know that it will have a place in my future. All in all I got everything out of this internship that I needed (grad requirement) and much more!!(friendships,experience,free food,etc).


~Chandler

Final Post :(

Hello!

So for my final post I am going to post the email I sent to my supervisor who granted me the great opportunity of working at the State Senate. I also would like to give a special shout out to my Monday/Wednesday Page buddies...the experience would not have been the same without you guys and I learned something from each one of you!!

Hello Jenna!

I just wanted to thank you for allowing me the great opportunity to intern at the Senate. I had a great experience and enjoyed the friendships I was able to make despite that. My time spent at the Senate has drastically increased my understanding of the legislative process and the many debates in the office definitely helped keep me informed and open-minded. Just wanted you to know how appreciative I am!

Thank you and hope you have a great summer :)

-Chandler 

& with that hope you all have a great summer and it was a pleasure sharing my experience with you!! 

~Chandler 

Career Service

Hey guys,

So after reading about one of my peers learning a lot through a career service webinar I chose to look into this. I found that there's a bunch of archived webinars on the Career Services website, sorry if I'm late to realizing this. Anyways, I watched the one on LinkedIn and how to properly utilize connections. I thought this would be very important information being that social media has become important within the workplace and it is smart to know how to properly use it. Of course, being born in a generation with internet, I have been more than spoiled when it comes to technology and its benefits. With that being said I already spend entirely too much time on social media and other apps than is probably healthy. The thing about LinkedIn is you can actually be productive using it and it can definitely help further or for better terms, link your career aspirations to the right outlet. Definitely going to spruce up my profile after watching this webinar!

~Chandler

Free Write....

Hey guys,


So here's one of the articles I came across from the research paper I am doing about marijuana decriminalization and what effects its had so far. Let me know about you guys's take on the article and if I should use any specific information in my research. Also I know that Time magazine recently featured Kanye West on their cover for one of the most influential people, so their view might be a little skewed ;) lol

http://time.com/3815608/marijuana-legalization/

Thanks guys!

~Chandler

Free Write

Hey guys,

For one of my classes I am writing a research paper on the effect decriminalization of marijuana has had in states where the plant is legalized. Working at the Senate, there was a mixed view within the Page office about marijuana legalization in terms of recreational use. Some of the articles I have been reading about from the few states that have legalized it have been very positive in terms of crime rate and money it has raised. With that being said I want to hear you guys's take on marijuana legalization,  what are your thoughts on this modern-day prohibition?

~Chandler

Organizational Strengths...

Hey guys,

    There were many things I enjoyed about interning at the State Senate and one was mostly the way it was organized. The first few weeks we would use the buddy/group system to complete tasks since we were still learning the in and outs of the Capitol. After the first few weeks though we kept using the buddy/group-system because we had fun together and wanted to help. This made the shifts fly by and there was also a joke in the building that if you hear laughter that meant that the Pages were near.
   Also everyday when we came in there was a schedule written on the board so we had an idea of how the day would go. More times than not these schedules were more voluntary than mandatory since we would sometimes switch tasks and meetings always went longer then intended. Overall, this internship always kept me on my feet due to it's sporadic nature and I enjoyed that and wouldn't change anything about my experience!

~Chandler

Free Write

Good morning,

So I read a post from one of my peers and they were stressed about the future and what was to come after graduation. I cannot sit here and say that I too am not afraid, especially when college years are described as the best years of your life. With that being said, I am also ready to see what life has in store for me. I am also lucky to have my faith since I know that if I do my part and put forth the needed effort, things should work out, maybe no when or exactly how I want but things will be fine. Hate to be cliche but like Bob Marley said, "Every little thing...is gonna be alright"

~Chandler

Public Service

Hey Guys,

So one of the best things about my time at my internship was that I got to see first hand how the officials elected by citizens actually serve them. At times it was very surreal to hear the various testimonies of citizens who were very passionate about pieces of legislation and its passage or the latter.
     It was also very humbling to see how most of the Senators gracefully dealt with the pressures of the power given to them. Though I may not have supported their stance or ideals in some cases, you can tell they all hoped for a better Arizona. It was also great seeing those stand-out Senators who actually really cared about the average,every-day citizen with minimal personal biases, which could almost be impossible. One of my favorite Senators (I might get in trouble for saying this) has a blog and twitter and stays in great communication with his constituents. Legislators like him show that there are really people in positions of power who hope to positively enhance the public and that is very nice to see :)

Free Write

Hey guys,

So I got a chance to spend sometime at home before all the madness of finals and graduation. It is always nice to go back to California even though Arizona will now always be a part of me. Anyways, just wanted to show you guys a few of my favorite things about Los Angeles. :)

Free Write

Hey guys,

     So last weekend me and a few friends were enjoying some pool time since the weather has yet to get deathly hot. Two of my friends had homework so while my other friend and myself were in the water, they were propped up on laptops and occasionally their iPhones. Another guy in the pool looked and them, snickered, and said "Hey, at least they're outside".
     Coincidentally enough, one of my prompts for a discussion board in class that week asked if technology can sometimes be hindering. Being from a generation that was born with internet, I am pretty sure I have a biased opinion, but I can honestly say I sometimes do find it hindering.Sometimes one can get so caught up in their Netflix binge they miss the beauty of the sunset outside :)

Leadership

Hey guys!

     My time at the Senate not only taught me different leadership skills but also helped me further develop my own. It was definitely nice working with a group of individuals all very willing to do their job which sometimes made it competitive. Of course this was always playful competitiveness but it was also fun to see everyone so eager to do minimal tasks but also willing to delegate when necessary. I think we all did a great job of distributing tasks equally which can sometimes be a hard thing to do!
     I also think my supervisor did a great job of exuding positive leadership qualities. She always made sure to give us positive reassurance as well as personal assistance whenever needed. She also held in-service meetings every month in which we would all vote on a Page of the Month as well as hold a circle of compliments. If you guys aren't sure what a circle of compliments is (since I was not privy to it myself) it is pretty much what it sounds like. We all get in a circle and everyone compliments a person sitting on either side of them. I think these meetings were very instrumental in cementing our office bond and this internships overall great experience!

~Chandler

Free Write...

Hey guys,

I graduate in a few weeks and it is definitely still all very surreal. Getting a college degree was always a goal I planned on attaining I am just amazed at how quickly it has happened. It feels like it was just the other day that I was moving in Palo Verde for the Summer Bridge program scared out of my mind because I literally knew no one in the whole state of Arizona. Today I can say that not letting my fear hinder me was one of my greatest choices and I have made some of the best friends and memories because of it.

Thanks ASU!

Hey guys,

So today was a VERY important day at the Senate....CORN DOG DAY! I did not understand the hype around this day but after having my own I totally understand lol. One of the many perks of this internship is that various lobbyist hold luncheons on the Capitol lawn every Wednesdays and more times than not we are invited for free food. Today was Optometrist day and they held the luncheon which is notorious at the Capitol and I have to admit it was arguably one of the best corn dogs and cups of lemonade that I have ever had.

:)

~Chandler

Career Aspirations

Hey guys!

So I chose to interview a women who is not only a good aunt but also holds the title of Chief Deputy Director of the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services. Her name is Fesia Davenport and I have always looked up to her career and role in public service. Though I am still trying to find where I fit within the public service, I hope to one day be as successful as she is. Here is the interview:

2. Please describe the steps you took to attain this position (Degree(s)/College experience)

• I have a B.A. in Liberal Studies English and a J.D. I started my career with the County of Los Angeles as a Deputy District Attorney in 1998- I handled child support cases.

•  I worked my up through the ranks very quickly. In 2012, I was appointed as the Chief Deputy Director, the number 2 position in that department reporting to the director. The Child Support Department had about 1,700 employees and about a $170M budget and was a good training ground for me as a chief deputy.  

• In 2014, I was appointed the Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Children and Family Services where I remain today. I oversee a $2B budget and 7,500 employees. 

4. Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on your career? Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you?Why and how did this person impact your life?  

• Yes. Lisa Garrett.  Lisa Garret and I worked closely together in the Child Support Services Department before she left in 2010. She was a mentor to me for many years. Lisa impacted me personally and my professional career. If you didn't know her personally and only had a chance to observe her in a meeting, you might pick up on the fact that there is something special about her - she is kind, courteous, professional, well-dressed, honest, confident, avoids gossip, leads by example, encourages others, humble, takes the high road, funny, well spoken, and the list goes on.  I have observed Lisa in very difficult situations where her character, competency, and leadership has been questioned.  She always handles these difficult situations with humility, confidence and professionalism which is not always an easy thing to do.  She and her husband have two sons who are now in college. She often says that her work is only a part of what she does and what is equally important is what she does in her home. She believes whether she is a good person, whether she is helping to advance God's kingdom on earth, these are the things that will last. 

5. What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization??

• I make decisions affecting employees, contractors, children and their families. These decisions govern whether an employee will be promoted or discharged; whether a service provider's multi-million dollar contract will be terminated or extended; whether a policy regarding child abuse investigations will be expanded or truncated. The decisions I make impact others in material ways and I don't make those decisions lightly.

6. What is most rewarding about working within the public sector?Least rewarding?

• The most rewarding aspect of working in the public sector is that you have the opportunity and ability to help children and families that really need help. Your are instrumental in helping to build stronger families, which in turn leads to strong communities - these are the essential building blocks of the great society.

• The least rewarding aspect of working in the public sector is that critics and the media fail to recognize the good work that a public agency does on a daily basis and instead tend to focus on your last mis-step. Certain public agencies operate in a fishbowl type of environment with critics and detractors ready to pounce as soon as something goes-awry.  Put another way, the public administrator can be publicly crucified for failing to cure intractable, wicked and long standing problems. 

8. What advice would you give to aspiring future leaders within the public sector? 

• Leadership means many things and what it means to any particular person depends on where they stand.  For me, I work in a high profile, politically charged arena.  From that viewpoint, leadership means being called to serve. Service may entail: being the object of constant criticism (i.e.  blows to your ego) in order to protect your staff or your organization; sacrifice, your idea may be the best way, but it may not be commonly accepted by the people who have to do the work; recognizing and accepting that a the person with the "authority" you have an obligation to act in the interest of others and not yourself; courage - meaning making very tough decisions (i.e. layoffs, reducing funding, terminating programs) in a fair and equitable manner even though you will face criticism and pushback from employees, constituents, stakeholders and the press. Leadership is not about high salaries, self, giving speeches, receiving a high salary. It is about making positive changes to society and those around you. 

Girl Rising...

Hey guys!

For my career services event I chose to attend the viewing of the film Girl Rising which was a viewing and discussion put on by the Peace Corps. I knew for sure I wanted to go when I got the email and read the summary since I am all about empowerment, especially for women (being that I am one :)). The film was a documentary and walked us through the lives of girl's around the world overcoming the various obstacles they face. Unfortunately in some parts of the world education isn't as accessible as it is in developed countries and this film shows how these girls fight for their rights to knowledge. One of my favorite stories was about a 13-year old girl from Ethiopia named Azmera. At this age, kids in the U.S. are almost on their way to high school while Azmera was on her way to being married. It also helps that one of my all time favorite actresses, Meryl Streep, narrates her story in which she challenges her predetermined fate. This film was definitely a tear-jerker and I recommend it to anyone looking for a little motivation :)

That is all!
~Chandler

Happy Monday!

Good Morning!

Hope everyone had a good weekend! Today has been off to a slow start for me which I can appreciate since I am exhausted for really no reason. My Natural Resources committee is canceled but my Workforce and Commerce committee will meet so i'll let you guys know how that meeting goes. These last weeks have been very busy and controversial at the Senate with some big bills being pushed through. One of the first was a bill that increased the allotted time that a police department can withhold the name of an officer after an officer-involved fatal shooting to 3 months. Watching the testimonies was very interesting since I got to watch members of the NAACP speak about their apprehension to this bill. I have always appreciated this group and the work they do for civil rights so it was very monumental for me to see them in action. There was also a bill on police body cams which brought out hundreds of officers from all around Arizona. Unfortunately they didn't seem too happy about having to wear these, though they are already used in places like Havasu, so immediately after the bill passed they all rose and walked out. The last real bill that made a great impression on me had to do with the treatment of officers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, following an event that happened during the line of duty. During the hearing, a wife gave her testimony by reading the suicide letter of her late ex-husband who severely suffered from the disorder. Watching this was heart-wrenching and I can tell the whole room literally struggled to hold back tears. I definitely think my favorite part of the committee meetings is hearing the testimonies since you get to hear first hand the people that are and will be effected by the legislation (or lack of).

Okay thats all for today folks!

~Chandler

A Great Day to be a Senate Page

Hey guys,

     So the punchline to every awkward/funny thing that has happened so far today is that it is "a great day to be a Senate Page", hence the title. We've also been brainstorming ideas for a parody musical since my co-workers are dead-set on the idea the things we go through are not only comedic but should be seen by the world. With that being said, I love my co-workers they definitely make my shifts hilarious as well as productive in that I learn something new from them everyday.
     In terms of the Senate, this has definitely been a busy week, my Natural Resources committee on Monday had 3 bills while my second committee Workforce Development and Commerce had about 10. My first committee was very cute, there was a middle school class that came in to propose a bill that they formulated about adding copper to the state seal since it is a part of 5 C's. In case you don't remember, the 5 C's are Copper, Climate, Cattle, Citrus, and Cotton, which are important to the states heritage. It was very cute/funny listening the the kids testimony's, one of which started his introduction by saying his name then stating that he didn't know where he was from. In opposition, my second committee meeting was very serious, and had an audience of about a hundred brewery owners, almost evenly split, and debating two bills of legislation. This meeting started around 2 and I am not sure when it ended because I had to leave at 5. I was supposed to be off at 4 but got so wrapped up in the debate that I didn't realize how much time had past. This was my first time really experiencing a controversial meeting, so it was very interesting and really drastically increased my interest in policy-making and the whole legislative process. This meeting also included a lot of water runs and some Senators even snuck bags of chips which is totally understandable being that they were in meetings since floor session at 1:30. It's really interesting now that the speed of this session is picking up and I am interested to see the other bills that will be proposed.

The Senate

Hey guys,

I've realized that I haven't given a thorough explanation of where I intern and what they do, for those who aren't really aware of the legislative process. As you guys know I work at the Senate which is pretty much home to the 30 current Arizona Senators during the legislative session. This session opened in January and is expected to last until May. During this period for the most part the Senators hear, discuss/debate, and decide whether or not to pass proposed bills. They are integral in the formation of new laws and policy. My previous posts make it pretty clear what I do for the Senators, which put shortly is all the minimal tasks that work together to make their lives/job a tad bit easier. This also allows me to get a front row seat to the legislative process and the many steps it takes to get a bill passed.
      Today was a very interesting day for bill proposals one of the major being a bill to prohibit photo radar for speeding. There was a huge crowd of people in the audience as well as lots of speakers on both sides of the argument. There will be another bill proposal today about texting and driving which I expect to be equally popular and controversial. There was also tons of media outside so don't mind me if you see me in the background of some of your news channel broadcasts at the Capitol.



Okay,Bye!

~Chandler

A Typical Day @ The Senate

Goodmorning!

Today's blog post I am going to walk you guys through a typical day at the Senate in which starts bright and early at 7 AM. Actually, there is not really anything bright about 7 AM but the angel on top of the Capitol Building.

Well me and my other 2 co-workers that come in at that time start by going to the Coffee Shop and replenishing coffee machines, ice tea, and all the other condiments. Such a hard task, I know (also helps that we get unlimited free coffee). Around 8 we are joined by the rest of our co-workers and the "real" work day begins by setting up for committee meetings that start at 9. This involves me and a coworker putting out nameplates, setting up a projector if need be, and the gavel. A little closer to 9 we head up to the Senators offices who are chair members of the committee and see if they would like us to bring down any laptops or other materials. We get the hearing room all set up then proceed to sit in on the meetings in case we are needed. So far the longest my meetings have lasted was about an hour but I am sure this will change as the session progresses. Also during the meetings the Senators will kind of signal if they need something by slightly raising their hand. The awkward part is that we are supposed to pretty much be invisible during this whole ordeal, so we have to make our way up to the front in the most subtle way as possible and take a knee next to them in order to see what they want. My first times doing this were pretty awkward but we all have accepted this and it's actually not too bad. It also gives us time to walk around and wake ourselves back up since some of the speeches aren't that interesting. After the meetings we return laptops and retrieve all materials and typically wait around in the office running errands until lunch. After lunch is the floor session in which we all attend, as well as all the present Senators. These sessions usually don't last long and include a prayer, the pledge of allegiance, roll call, introduction of visitors, and what committee meetings are scheduled for the next day. On Monday's I have two committees, the second meets after floor session and the challenge is that some of the chair members want their laptops at both floor session and the committee meeting that starts right after. After floor session it is pretty much a race to retrieve laptops and get them them to the hearing room before the Senators arrive which is pretty fun. After committee, the rest of the day is spent in the office doing homework until the phone rings and someone needs an errand. Though the tasks seem minimal, it is fun because we get to do them together and we're always on the move. This internship also allows ample amount of time between errands to get homework done which definitely helps me be a more productive student. My work day ends at 4 PM and though this might seem like a long day, it flies by which I really appreciate :)

Okay that's all for today!

~Chandler

Hey Everyone!

    So this has been a very eventful week for me at the Senate since both my committees held meetings on the same day. I am in the Natural Resources committee as well as the Workforce and Commerce committee and both have proved to be very interesting already. It was nice being able to introduce ourselves to everyone working within the committee which definitely helped make us feel included, even though I was definitely nervous. I also learned lots of things during these meetings in between running errands, making copies, and fetching water for the Senators. This first week of meetings was rather calm since there were not many bills being proposed but I am definitely excited to see how that changes between now and the last day of the session which is known as "Sign or Die".
     Also one of my peers brought forth some information from her committee which sparked a heated debate within our office. In her meeting the issue of whether prisoners should be paid minimum wage as opposed to the current low wage of a couple cents. The office was pretty split, some believed that the current wage is sufficient since prisoners have fewer expenses while incarcerated. Others felt that increasing the wage would help prisoners have some sort of foundation when they are released and even argued the point that many prisoners still send money to family members.
     I am definitely looking forward to more conversations like these since they definitely help me look at things from a different perspective!

Happy Birthday MLK!

    This week has been very eventful, though I only got to go to my internship for one shift because of the late, great Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. This day has always been a big deal since his work has been so detrimental to where we are as people today. Though there are still instances of racial tension like the killing of Mike Brown which led to protests across the country, we as a people are way better at coexisting. With that being said, I spent my day off at the park with my roommate and my dog, Milo people-watching all the various families at the park. It was very nice to see the diversity of cultures all together in one place which one can say was Dr. King's dream.
    With that being said, President Barack Obama is a great example of how far our society has come being that he is not only a strong leader but the first black President to grace the White House. Last night was his State of the Union address in which he discussed important issues like taxes, the economy, cybersecurity, climate, and the war on terror to name a few. Though I will not state my opinion on how I feel about his stance, I will say that I am excited to be working at the Arizona Capitol the day after that significant and also quite funny speech. It'll be interesting to hear the different conversations going on as well as if any of the Senator's will bring it up during the floor or committee sessions. Oh! Also today will be the first day our committees meet and I am working with the Natural Resources committee as well as the Workforce and Commerce committee. This means I'll have to set up the conference rooms ahead of time by setting out nameplates, laptops, beverages, and the gavel. I am definitely excited to see what I will learn sitting in these meetings and will keep you updated on what happens

Bye!

An Introduction...

Hello everyone!

    My name is Chandler Paige Stephens and I am a Senior here at ASU majoring in Public Service and Public Policy. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and have always been interested in community awareness as well as urban policy. I love my major and think that the various required courses have increased my knowledge in the many ways I can actually help people. I definitely think that I will fit great within the public sector because of this, though I am still trying to find my actual place. This semester I have been granted a great opportunity to intern at the Arizona State Senate as a Page and I am very excited to see what new knowledge this experience will bring me.
    For those of you who don't really know what a Page does, we help run errands and various tasks like setting up for committee meetings, or getting coffee for thirsty Senators during floor sessions. We're pretty much on-call all day waiting for the next errand or committee meeting which keeps us on our toes. This internship position also allows me to see a very new and thorough perspective of the legislative process and how it works. One of the first things I hope to gain from this experience is a better idea of professionalism and how to handle myself within a very formal setting. This experience allows me to see how important formalities can be within a job setting and what it takes to ensure I follow them. Another thing I hope to gain with this opportunity is a clearer idea of what career path I will follow. Though I know I plan on getting my Master's in Public Administration, I hope that this internship will give me a better idea of how well I fit in this particular sector of public service. Lastly, I hope to gain new friendships with like minds. Unfortunately none of the close friends I've made in college have the same major as me so it is nice to be surrounded by people who are. I have already learned so many different things from them and can only hope that continues. Overall I am very excited to see what this new experience will bring me!