Summer Intern Series: Shane Vyskocil
SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- All summer long, Bryant Athletics is highlighting the internships that student-athletes are involved with. Each Wednesday, Bryant Athletics will feature a question and answer session with a student-athlete about their internship and how it is preparing them for a life after sports.
Shane Vyskocil | Rising Senior | Men's Swimming and Diving
Bryant Athletics: What is your internship for the summer?
Shane Vyskocil: This summer, I am working as a Government Affairs Intern for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA), in the New Jersey state capital, Trenton. NJBIA is a lobbyist firm with over 20,000 members. We represent businesses and employers, both small and large, in New Jersey. My job mainly consists of research for the association on different policies and proposed legislation, of which the lobbyist team can then use when they speak with legislators. With this, I communicate and contribute policy analysis to various task forces of NJ employers and businesses as well. Specifically, I have been focusing on New Jersey's post-secondary education, where the association wants to put a report out in the fall. This will present points of action for the state to take in order to keep students in-state and to improve its post-secondary education and educated labor force. I have also been conducting research regarding the state's business and tax competitiveness in the region, and how proposed legislation and tax increases will affect this. In fact, since our building is a block away from the state house, I also regularly attend state committee hearings to monitor the status of legislation for the firm's lobbyist team. It is really interesting and amazing to have the opportunity to go to these meetings and events in the state house, even being able to attend a press conference with the Governor and the state's top legislatures. I am right in the heart of New Jersey politics, and it is a great experience!
BA: How does this relate to your field of study?
SV: I am a Politics and Law, and Economics Public Policy major, so this type of work fits perfectly into my fields of study. Obviously, I have an interest in politics, and this internship is teaching me great amounts about New Jersey politics. It is also a great experience to be in the heart of the state's capital and to be seeing state politics take place first hand. My majors also require me to conduct a lot of research, especially economic research, and this is essentially my main task at the association. Thus, given my interests in public policy research and politics, this internship fits perfectly into my field of study and my interests.
BA: What is one part of the internship that you are most excited for?
SV: I am most excited for the wide range of topics I am going to learn, and the number of people I am going to be able to network with and meet in New Jersey. Every day there seems to be a different topic or piece of legislation for me to research, ranging from tax policy to environmental policy, and I am excited to see how knowledgeable I am going to become about all of these issues. I feel like this will expand my overall knowledge of such issues to make me more well-round. I am also excited for all of the people I am going to meet with this internship, whether this be legislators, other lobbyists, or other people within the realm of New Jersey politics. Not only is this great networking for post-graduation, but I also enjoy meeting new people and getting different perspectives on certain issues.
BA: What are you hoping to take away from this internship?
SV: I am hoping to enhance my knowledge of different issue areas surrounding New Jersey politics as well as National Politics. I also want to improve my research and analysis skills, and fully take advantage of this opportunity to work on important and large-scale research projects. From a more practical point though, I really want to get everything out of this internship that I possibly can every day, whether this be the making connections, the communication skills I will learn and improve on from such interactions, or just the professional development I will experience as an intern at this association. These skills cannot be taught in a classroom, and I hope to take away growth and experience in such professional skills that will benefit me greatly in the future. I really want to put my name out there for people to see!
BA: What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone interested in getting into this field?
SV: Start searching for positions now, and take every opportunity that you come across and go for it. In this field, it is so much about the research and effort you are willing to put in to get your name out there. Meet with everyone that you can and contact as many places as possible that are offering positions. You never know where a connection will lead you, and you never know where the perfect position is open for you until you put yourself out there. Remember, the worst that they can say is no.