Your Name
Kyla Anderson
Current Job Title
Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff
Employer/Current Organization
US House of Representatives
Graduation Year
2022
Major at Binghamton University
Philosophy Politics and Law
Minor or Concentration at Binghamton University (if applicable)
Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies
Which industry cluster do you currently work in?
Government, Policy & Law
Which affinity group(s) do you identify with?
Woman, Student of Color, First-Generation College Student
What activities and clubs/organizations did you participate in during your time at Binghamton University?
During my time at BU, I was a member of X-Fact’r Step Team, Secretary and President of Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society. I worked all four years at the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development. I was apart of Chi Alpha Epsilon (XAE) National Honors Society, the Educational Opportunity Program’s (EOP) National Honors Society for students receiving 3.0 or higher cumulative average for two consecutive semesters. I participated in the Independent Undergraduate Research in the Humanities program, in which I developed an independent research project on the New York City Education system and defacto segregation. I was a JFEW SUNY Global Affairs Leadership Program scholar, where I was about to intern for the Clinton Global Initiative. I also completed an internship through the Hapurpr Law Council Public Interest Law Internship Program with Bronx Legal Services in their education unit.
Did you complete an internship? If so, please include where you interned and any relevant details about the position or the skills you gained.
During my time at BU, I participated in three different types of internships. I interned for the non-profit space with the Clinton Global Initiative, where I was able to develop my data entry, excel, and research skills. I interned for the Broome County Public Defender’s Office, which was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic but I was lucky enough to gain essential legal research skills, communication skills between an attorney and a client in jail, and help with the overall day-to-day functions of the attorney. Lastly, I interned in the social activism and legal space with Integrate NYC in their Peer Defense Project legal unit. At this internship, I developed my digital skills where I created an Instagram, and a website and used Canva to use different types of Instagram posts. The skills I use the most in my current position is research, communication, and teamwork skills. Those three skills are the main things to keep the office of a member of Congress going and have a successful team to create legislation.
How did your experiences outside of the classroom influence your career development?
I take all of my internship experience as just exploring different career fields. At 22, or whatever age you graduate, you aren’t expected to know what you are going to do for the rest of your life. I still do not know what I am going to do but completing different internships has given me insight into what I do and don’t like about certain fields and that’s the best thing I could’ve taken out of all of my experiences.
How did your experience at Binghamton University help prepare you for your first position post graduation?
I believe taking advantage of the programs and extracurricular activities that Binghamton offers really prepared me for my first position post-graduation. Post graduation I was accepted into the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Congressional Internship Program. Being a campus leader, working through my entire time at Binghamton, and staying on top of my grades all contributed to my getting into the program. Being a campus leader really helped develop my communication skills. When you are president of an organization or helping students with their resumes, you are communicating and collaborating with so many different types of personalities and it truly prepares you for the real world working with so many different personalities.
Why did you select your major at Binghamton University? What experiences or factors influenced your decision?
I chose PPL as my major because of how interdisciplinary it is. I genuinely enjoyed the philosophy classes I took, but if you do not like philosophy I am not sure if i would recommend the major because half of the degree requirements are philosophy classes. Aside from that, I was able to take classes in political science, women, gender and sexuality studies, history, and english. The major really allows you to carve out your degree and your interests in classes.
What advice would you give to a student who is exploring different major options?
Some advice I would give to some exploring majors is to plan out your semesters! Each semester I sat down and created a semester overview for each major I was interested in. You might be able to see that classes overlap in types of credits so you can still knock out degree credit courses while still exploring your different major options. I utilized the EOP counselors for this but I am sure Harpur advising can help with this as well. This will help you still have the space to explore different majors while also not setting yourself back.
How did your coursework at Binghamton prepare you for your current role?
Now that I work on Capitol Hill and in politics, I wish I had taken more Political Science classes during my time at BU. My degree allowed me to take 2 political science classes, but other classes piqued my interest. Now that I am in a field that’s not going straight to law school or working in the legal field I wish I took a few more. However, the courses I did take have allowed me to think more critically about issues that are affecting everyday people, especially people of color, so I have no regrets about the coursework that I chose and really take advantage of the learning opportunities that I have now.
What class at Binghamton University was most influential for you and why?
During my last semester at Binghamton, I took a class called the Psychology of Racism. We had gotten a new professor because the previous professor who had taught the class had to leave for some type of research study. Now the new professor was an interesting character but really the readings and movies we had to analyze during the class were so interesting. We got to not only learn about the psychology of White Supremacists but also how these ideologies affect so many different types of ethnic groups living in the United States. I had written a paper for this class and the professor had written my grade and gave a comment
What tools and resources were most helpful to you during your job search?
During my job search, Handshake, Linkedin, and Indeed were the main places I looked for opportunities. To prepare for an interview I used Big Interview– and wish I still had big interview access to this day!
What is your advice for writing a strong resume/cover letter for a position in your field?
My advice for writing a strong resume/cover letter is to use the templates that Fleishman has. I still use the template for resume and cover letter, I did take out some of my college experiences to make more room for those experiences but those two templates I still stick to.
What is your advice for interviewing for positions within your field? How can recent graduates stand out?
If you are looking for a job working for a certain member of Congress, you need to study the member and their main issue areas. You need to know the district that you are applying for. If you are from Ohio, applying for an office in New York, you need to prove that you know the state and the intricacies that make the state different from other states.
What is one thing you would suggest students do before graduation to be more prepared for the job search?
The job market is tough nowadays, gaining internship or volunteer experience in the field that you are interested in is very important. Once you are in that internship, ask the staff individually for coffee and start to create relationships with the people you are working with, so when you are graduating you can reach out and update them and you never know who knows who, and what positions will be open. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there, the only reason I have a job right now is because I put myself out there and told everyone that I met that I was looking to stay in DC.
