{"id":8321,"date":"2019-02-14T01:10:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T01:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsletters.asucollegeoflaw.com\/ilp\/?p=8321"},"modified":"2019-10-09T21:23:57","modified_gmt":"2019-10-09T21:23:57","slug":"alumni-advice-udall-alumni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsletters.asucollegeoflaw.com\/ilp\/2019\/02\/14\/alumni-advice-udall-alumni\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Advice – Udall Alumni"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Indian Legal Program is always looking to expand our ILP family\u2019s opportunities to network and gain experience in the legal profession. By networking with the Udall Foundation, we can show students more opportunities to participate in Indian Law programs across the country. Alumni Chia Halpern Beetso<\/strong> (\u201908), Julian Nava<\/strong> (\u201910) Jacqueline Bisille<\/strong> (MLS \u201914), all completed the Udall Internship, along with current students Cynthia Freeman<\/strong> (2L), Christina Andrews<\/strong> (3L) and DesiRae Deschine<\/strong> (3L). The ILP asked these six Udall Alumni to share some advice to current or future students through their experience participating in the Udall Summer Internship Program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter completing my undergraduate degree, I was accepted\ninto the Udall Foundation Congressional Native American Internship Program,\u201d\nSarah\nCrawford<\/strong> (3L) said. \u201cThis opportunity gave me my first hard\nlook at the legislation and policy at play\u2026 The Udall Foundation also provided\nadditional opportunities to visit and learn from a variety of agencies, law\nfirms, and organizations that focus on Indian Country policies. The Program\nalso provides housing and travel expenses which greatly reduced the burdens\nthat prevents many Native individuals from pursuing a summer internship in\nWashington, D.C.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Q:\nWhen did you intern at Udall and why did you apply?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chia\n<\/strong>Halpern Beetso<\/strong>:<\/strong> \u201cI participated in the\nUdall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship during the summer of\n2007. I applied because I always wanted to intern in a U.S. Congressional\noffice and heard so many great things about the program. I also had friends who\nreally enjoyed their experiences while participating in the Udall Internship as\nwell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julian\nNava:<\/strong> \u201cI was a Congressional Intern through the Udall program in the\nsummer of 2006. I applied because I wanted an insider\u2019s view of our Nation\u2019s\nfederal government i.e. how policies & laws are formed and money is\nappropriated, especially as it applies to tribal governments and tribal\nprograms. I was also very interested in the history of U.S. laws and policies\ndirectly aimed at American Indian tribes, so I thought, what better place to\nlearn about that dynamic (past, present, future) than at the center of U.S. law\nand policy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cynthia\nFreeman: <\/strong>\u201cI was a Udall intern in 2006. I applied because the Udall\ninternship program provided a unique opportunity for me to work in Congress and\nto learn more about tribal laws and policies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacqueline\nBisille:<\/strong> \u201cI interned during the summer of 2014 in the\nlate Senator John McCain\u2019s office. While living in Arizona, I interned with\nvarious organizations and a local government on issues that affected Arizona\nTribes. While I enjoyed my time with those offices, I never had the chance to\nwork on policy issues that involved the Federal government and Indian Tribes.\nWhen I heard about the Udall Internship in D.C., I knew it was an opportunity\nto not pass up so I prepared my application, sent it in, and waited for the\nFoundation\u2019s decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christina Andrews:<\/strong> \u201cI interned summer\n2017. I interned at Udall\nbecause I wanted to learn about the United States’ legislative process and its\nimpact in Indian Country. I wanted to know if I had a place at the U.S.\ngovernment area. I applied because of\nthe prestige of being a Udall Intern and the doors it would open up for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DesiRae\nDeschine:<\/strong> \u201cIn 2017, I was a 1L when I was selected for the\nUdall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship. I wanted the legal\nwork experience within a federal agency and to gain an inside look at the\nregulatory process of federal Indian law. In addition, I wanted to be a Udall\nIntern so that I could live and experience Washington D.C. with a cohort of\nother Native American students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:\nWhat was the experience like and what was the most valuable thing you learned?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chia\n<\/strong>Halpern Beetso<\/strong>:<\/strong> \u201cI had the\nbest summer. I was in the office of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and\nwas able to help plan and attend committee hearings. I got to see first-hand\nhow legislation is drafted and passed. I was also fortunate enough to work on an\nissue that my own tribe needed assistance with. The most valuable thing I\nlearned was to take the initiative to pursue my professional goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julian\nNava:<\/strong> \u201cI had a wonderful experience that I will cherish for a\nlifetime. The most valuable lessons that I learned during my internship was how\nimportant relationship building is, including, building relationships with\nthose people who agree and understand your views and interests as well as those\npeople who do not. Your ability to communicate and be inquisitive is vital to a\nsuccessful experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacqueline\nBisille:<\/strong> \u201cThe experience was unforgettable because it\ngave me the opportunity to learn more about a career that I wanted to work in.\nI\u2019d say the most valuable thing I learned was how Congress moves legislation\nthrough both chambers. The process is fascinating and continues to challenge me\nin unique ways each day while working for the SCIA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cynthia\nFreeman: <\/strong>\u201cThe experience was rewarding; it provided me with numerous\nopportunities to network with tribal leaders and tribal advocates, meet\nCongressional leaders, and forge lifetime friendships. The most valuable thing\nI learned was the importance of having tribal representation within Congress,\nboth at the leadership and staff levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christina\nAndrews:<\/strong> \u201cThe experience was more than I could have ever imagined. I\nwas able to see the place where the Nation’s decisions were made. I learned\nabout how law is made and passed; toured the White House and legislative buildings;\nhelped create a bill and walk it through the process for consideration at the\nfloor; I met many people who are advocating for Indian issues; I learned about\nbeing a leader and advocate for Indian Country; and finally, I built a lifelong\ncohort with other Udallers.  We still remain connected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DesiRae\nDeschine:<\/strong> \u201cInterning with the Department of the Interior\nas a Native American Congressional Intern was invaluable. I received great\nmentorship and substantive legal work assignments from my internship placement.\nIn addition to the work experience, I was exposed to other federal agencies,\ncongressional offices, and non-profit organizations that share similar goals\nrelated to Native American communities and Tribes. Through this experience I\nstrengthened my legal writing skills and as a result felt capable and ready to\nspend a full-semester in Washington, D.C. as a 3L with the D.C. Externship\nProgram through the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q:\nWould you recommend this program to other students? If so why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chia\n<\/strong>Halpern Beetso<\/strong>:<\/strong> \u201cI would definitely\nrecommend this program to current students. It is a great chance to have a paid\ninternship in Washington DC which isn\u2019t always an option for many people. You\noften get to work on Native issues and have opportunities to attend hearings,\nmeetings and receptions with various leaders in Washington DC. It can lead to\njob opportunities and truly is a learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julian\nNava:<\/strong> \u201cI would absolutely recommend this program because this\nprogram gives a hands-on experience that will hopefully provide students with a\nbetter understanding of how law and policy is formed, how the system works in\nreal time and how they can eventually be a part of that system and\/or change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacqueline\nBisille:<\/strong> \u201cI definitely would recommend the internship\nprogram to any ILP student thinking about working on tribal issues. In some way\nor another, a tribal government will likely have to work with Congress or the\nAdministration and it\u2019s good to have an idea of what goes on in DC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cynthia\nFreeman: <\/strong>\u201cYes, I highly recommend this program to any student who is\ninterested in learning about federal Indian policy and would like to work in\nWashington, D.C. As a participant, you will gain valuable insight into the\nlegislative process as it pertains to tribal nations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christina\nAndrews:<\/strong> \u201cI was intimidated about DC, but now after going\nthrough the program, I have more confidence having spent the summer at DC. Also,\nthis program challenged myself as an older student that I still have a lot to contribute,\nand I plan to do just that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DesiRae\nDeschine:<\/strong> \u201cI absolutely recommend the Udall Foundation Native American\nCongressional Internship program to students that are interested in learning\nmore about the government-to-government relationship between Tribes and the\nfederal government and working for a congressional office or a federal agency\nin Washington, D.C. Being a Native American Congressional Intern was a unique\nexperience and through the program I gained access to a network of Native\nAmerican professionals who are contributing to strengthening Indian Country.\nFurthermore, I recommend the Native American Congressional Internship program\nbecause of the support that the Udall Foundation provides to each student that\nmakes living and working in Washington, D.C. possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n