Sophia Rodriguez and Saron Regassa admittedly didn’t know much about Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) before joining #TeamHCDE as interns at the end of January.
Their first major event, which quickly brought both up to speed on HCDE and its impact on the community, was the Civic Engagement team’s community breakfast event on Jan. 31. At the event, local legislative offices, nonprofit organizations and other community partners met with 11 Department division representatives to learn about HCDE services provided to Harris County residents.
For Regassa, this event was actually held on her first day.
“I met a lot of staff and it was great,” she said. “The first thing that opened my eyes was just how big the public education sector is. What I really found interesting about the Department and its mission is how we try to fill in the gaps, nooks and corners that independent school districts can’t reach.”
The two University of Houston students are part of HCDE for the semester through the school’s Civic Houston Internship Program (CHIP). As part of the Hobby School of Public Affairs, CHIP connects UH students with government offices, nonprofit organizations and campaigns. All majors are welcome, while upperclassmen and students with higher GPA are given priority in acceptance and assignments.
Regassa, a Public Policy senior set to graduate in May, will work with Civic Engagement Coordinator Avery Spranger and Specialist Arnaldo Sandoval-Guerrero for the next three months. Rodriguez, a pre-law sophomore, joins Education Foundation and Partnerships Director Trina Silva.
CHIP interns join their respective organizations and work an average of eight hours a week over the 15-week semester (they meet as a class four times). They learn the ins and outs of each organization and how it connects within Harris County and beyond.
Students keep a daily journal, and the course grade is also determined by a term paper and assessment from the respective office supervisor. The internship course counts as three hours of upper-level political science or public policy credit.
Since its inception more than 25 years ago, CHIP has placed more than 1,700 interns in offices across greater Houston. Approximately 40 internships are available each semester.
Rodriguez was referred to the program by her roommates.
“They really enjoyed their experience with CHIP and in their offices,” she said. “They said it was a great way to learn and network. They told me it was a great program and great way to put myself out there and gain experience before trying for those traditional internships that pre-law and law students typically go for.”
Both interns have eagerly jumped into the work at HCDE, ready to make a positive impact on their local community.
Among her duties, Regassa will plan presentations and events for the upcoming local elections. She’ll also join Spranger and Sandoval-Guerrero in preparing training materials for Fortis Academy students visiting Austin at the end of March.
“Working with community partners and passing on knowledge to the next generation is one of the most important parts of civic engagement, and hosting a CHIP intern accomplishes both of those goals,” Spranger said. “We hope to help her grow in her advocacy and presentation skills while exposing her to working in education and local government.”
Rodriguez will work with Silva on projects for the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC). This includes the EFHC Kendra Scott Gives Back event on Feb. 21-22. Other goals include helping enhance the Foundation’s giving webpages to increase visibility and engagement, and developing strategies for social media.
“This program is highly selective, not only in choosing students who demonstrate exceptional potential but also in selecting organizations that provide meaningful, hands-on experiences,” Silva said. “I look forward to seeing the impact she will make throughout her internship.”
Making an impact is what Regassa and Rodriguez hope for as well. The good news is they already received a crash course in HCDE and many of the services it provides to Harris County students of all ages.
They’ve heard about the opportunities Special Schools provides to students who were out of chances or resources at their home school districts. They’ve heard how Therapy Services is anchored in districts and charter schools across the county and serves more than 7,000 students annually. They’ve also heard about how Choice Partners, through providing and utilizing competitively bid contracts, connects its members and vendors in support of public education.
And many more.
“I want to be able to later use this to make an impact and hopefully use this experience down the road,” Rodriguez said. “I want to go to law school, so hopefully I can use this experience in policy making.”
Said Regassa: “What compelled me to CHIP is how the program tries to tailor an internship to your experience and what you’re interested in. I love the civic engagement side of education. I really like motivating people and trying to empower them to realize the change they want to see in the world.”