UH Hilo political science students intern at local organizations, review proposed bills, draft testimony
“What excites me about my work is how my written testimony directly impacts the likelihood of an important bill being passed, which in turn helps the community,” says poli-sci major Isabella Johnson.
By Susan Enright/UH Hilo Stories.
Several political science students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo are interning this semester at two local organizations.
Through the political science department internship course, four students are interning at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi based in Hilo, while two students are interning for paid work at Purple Maiʻa, a nonprofit organization based on Oʻahu with a mission “to educate and empower the next generation of culturally grounded, community serving technology makers and problem solvers.”
“Both groups of students are mainly tasked with reviewing bills proposed at the state legislature for their respective organizations, and they explain them to their constituents and help people draft testimonies as needed,” says Su-Mi Lee, professor of political science overseeing the placement of the students.
Internships at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi
The political science department initiated an internship program with one intern at JCCIH in fall 2024, and Lee says she is pleased to see the number increase to four this semester.
“When students showed interest in interning with the JCCIH, I requested their resumes and forwarded them to the government affairs committee of the JCCIH,” says Professor Lee. “If the committee expressed interest, the students were invited for an interview with a panel of four to six committee members. After the interviews, we were informed whether or not they were selected as interns for the following semester.”
The interns this semester are Jasmin Camacho, a junior double majoring in political science and business administration; Misty Cruden, a sophomore from Hilo majoring in political science with a minor in dance and a certificate in pre-law; Mark Rebellon, a junior who hails from Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, and now lives in Kamuela on Hawaiʻi Island, double majoring in political science and administration of justice; and Isabella Johnson, a junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who is an exchange student from Louisiana State University majoring in political science with a focus on international law.
“Within this internship, I’m normally skimming through bills, and watching [and] writing testimony in accordance with the chamber’s interests,” says Johnson. “I can do my work alone, but I love working in a group with other interns. What excites me about my work is how my written testimony directly impacts the likelihood of an important bill being passed, which in turn helps the community.”
Cruden says as students coming from different backgrounds, the interns “find the importance of cultivating and preserving cultures in a community known as a melting pot.”
“My main duties revolve around the legislative session and organizational tasks such as organizing introduced bills for the session and crafting testimony on behalf of the JCCIH’s government affairs committee for specific bills that are being supported,” she says. “This opportunity is extremely exciting as I’ve always had a passion for policy and legislative affairs. I also find it deeply important to learn how policy impacts an organization and ways to positively advocate for a cause as I hope to pursue a career in education law and amplify non-profit voices when it comes to these important decisions.”
Professor Lee says the committee has selected a number of bills to focus on, based on the interns’ work thus far. “In the coming days, the interns will investigate these bills in depth, examining their nature, implications, and ramifications. They will also assist the JCCIH members in drafting testimonies related to the bills.”
Intern Camacho says, “This whole experience has been eye-opening and valuable for whatever direction I decide to take after graduation.”
Internships at Purple Maiʻa
It is the first time the UH Hilo political science department has had students working at Purple Maiʻa. Baylee Goeas Galdeira, from Kaneʻohe on Oʻahu, is a sophomore majoring in political science, and Imani Lee, from Hacienda Heights in California, is a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in political science. Both are student-athletes on the women’s volleyball team.
The interns are working in Purple Maiʻa’s Food+ Policy branch, which advocates for food systems change in Hawaiʻi.
“This organization has been conducting beneficial work revolving around education and innovation based community service for over 10 years now, and oversees numerous branches including Food+ Policy,” says Imani Lee. “Food+ Policy has a mission of advocating for food security and sustainable agriculture across the Hawai’i islands through legislative measures and bill tracking. As political science students, both Baylee and I are very passionate about having a role in the legal processes behind Hawaiʻi’s food system. We ensure that certain agricultural related bills are beneficial to promote sustainable agricultural practices, and we love working with motivated, link-minded individuals who also want to give back to the community.”
The interns attend weekly meetings on food systems and security, where they discuss with others and write testimonies to advocate for legislative committees to either support or reject food-related bills throughout this hearing session. They also advocate for hearings on the bills.
Each paid internship requires approximately 10 hours per week, where most of the work is staying updated with bill tracking and writing testimony.
“I love that this internship allows us to focus on bills specific to our passions, where we get to incorporate personal anecdotes into our support for a bill,” says Imani Lee, who hopes to transition into environmental law after graduation. “I have gained so much knowledge about how Hawaiʻi’s food system works below the surface, and that I am able to have some influence in the legislative process, even as a student.”
“I really enjoy being a part of this internship, as it is not only a great way to fight for the island’s Indigenous land and food security, but also allows me to put my energy into topics that I am extremely passionate about,” she adds.
Story by Susan Enright, public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.
