MORAGA, Calif. – Over the summer, Saint Mary's cross country and track student-athlete Alex Riggsby received the opportunity to intern with Catherine Cortez Masto, a US Senator who represents Nevada. Below, Riggsby, the Concentric Wealth Management Gael Spotlight, recounts his experiences and how they relate back to Saint Mary's.
 
1.) Could you tell me about what your internship entailed?
 
When I was working in the Senator's office, I did various tasks that helped facilitate the work of the district representatives who worked there. I would help draft memos, gold bonds and certificates for them. I even got to help draft part of a Congressional Record that got published this summer. It was surreal to see the Record printed out and to see some of my writing in there. At the end of my internship, our office worked to organize the first Wildfire Summit in Nevada, where we brought many fire-fighting and environmental resources together to discuss the importance of preventing wildfires. It was awesome to see Senator Cortez Masto work her magic in facilitating and organizing the Summit. That was definitely the highlight of my internship.
 
2.) What drew you to working this internship?
 
I have always been interested in politics, and I saw this internship as a fantastic opportunity to help jumpstart my career in the political field. It was awesome to work for all of the awesome representatives in that office, and it helped me establish some connections in a field where it's extremely beneficial to have some.
 
3.) Are you interested in pursuing a career in politics after graduating?
 
When I graduate, I really want to work in politics. Campaigning has always interested me and considering that I already have that competitive fire in me from racing cross country and track, I believe that would be an awesome field for me to get into.
 
4.) How will/have your experiences help(ed) you with you with life at Saint Mary's?
 
Working in the Senator's office not only taught me some basics in working in a business environment, but it also taught me how to be a better listener in class. Watching Senator Cortez Masto at the Wildfire Summit showed me that one of the most important qualities a politician can have is being an active listener. I saw that not only did she hear every word that some of the people at the Summit had to say, but she engaged them afterward with inciteful questions or comments. Already, I have noticed that I have been paying attention to others in my classes more, and I am contributing to our class discussions in more meaningful ways than before. 
 
#GaelsRise