When did you graduate from UPS?
Graduated in 2002 with a Bachelors of Arts in Politics and Government, Cum Laude, and with Honors in Politics and Government.
What have you been doing since graduation?
Immediately after graduation in spring of 2002, I went to work as a field representative for U.S. Congressman Adam Smith's re-election campaign. Rep. Adam Smith, a moderate Democrat, represents the 9th District of Washington, which is encompasses South King County, including SeaTac (and the airport), Federal Way, parts of Pierce County like NE Tacoma, Puyallup, and Fife, and also North Thurston County with parts of Olympia and Lacey. Anyway, I worked as what I like to call a "grunt" campaign worker doing various Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) activities, including doorbelling, phone banking, volunteer recruitment, and assisting with fundraising events.
When Rep. Smith was re-elected I was promoted as Finance Director and did that for the 2004 election cycle (essentially the years 2003 and 2004). As Finance Director, I was responsible for all political fundraising for the Congressman, which included planning and traveling to events in California, New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. I also managed the operating budget and did all of the financial bookkeeping and filed the FEC reports. After the 2004 election, I was offered a job in the Congressman's DC office as a Legislative Assistant (LA) handling a portfolio of policy issues including healthcare, labor, job training, Social Security, pensions, higher education, campaign finance reform, and women's health and reproductive issues. I moved out to DC in December 2005 and that is what I am currently doing. My responsibilities include tracking and researching legislation, facilitating meetings with constituents, lobbyists, and organizations, briefing the Congressman on upcoming votes, and developing legislative initiatives.
Aside from my "official" job, I have found time to take pleasure in extra curricular activities. I volunteer an hour every week reading to a 1st grader at a nearby low-income and under-served elementary school and I love it! Giving back to your community, through time or money, is a great thing and as a result, I feel more of a connection to my community here in DC. I have also taken up the game of tennis. I play in 2 two different tennis leagues - one in Northern Virginia and one in DC. During the spring and summer when the weather is nice, I play as many as 5 days a week. It is a great way for me to get exercise and meet some people outside of work.
Why and how did you decide to take the career path you did?
I had always thought I wanted to attend law school and become a prosecutor or some sort of public attorney. However, I interned in Congressman Adam Smith's District Office in Tacoma during my junior year at UPS and really enjoyed being involved with public policy. I then went to DC and did a summer internship on Capitol Hill for the Congressman and realized that instead of going to law school right after college, I wanted a chance to work in the "real world" and put my degree to work. In some regards I feel that I lucked out with the right opportunities by meeting the "right" people at the "right" time. When I interned in Rep. Smith's DC office, his chief of staff was a UPS alum (class of '96) and we immediately had a bond. I credit this bond to my initial job working on the Congressman's campaign.
Funny thing is that since I have started working for the Congressman over 4 years ago, we have had a handful of UPS interns in both the District and DC offices and we currently employ UPS alumni (our current political director in Tacoma and our Staff Assistant/Legislative Correspondent in DC both graduated from UPS in 2004!)
I don't regret the decisions I have made in choosing my career path. Law school will always be there if I get bored or if I decide to fulfill my childhood dream of being a prosecutor. But in the meantime, my current job is exciting and I am learning a lot. I think that sometimes life has a way of changing course, by accident, and you realize that it is for the better.
For instance, I have grown to love healthcare policy and I am actually considering returning to school to get my Masters in Public Health and remaining in the healthcare field. I would have never thought that 4 years ago when I graduated college, but here I am and I cannot imagine my life any other way.
Are there any aspects of the Politics and Government major or your UPS education in general that have served you particularly well?
Absolutely. I feel that my P&G courses at UPS definitely prepared me for my current job. It is my job to essentially read very complex papers and research policies and laws that are confusing and then consolidate that information into a concise and "reader-friendly" memo for my boss. I think back to all of my P&G courses when I cringed at the sheer volume of assigned reading and the 2-5 page papers that I thought were such a waste of time, but in the end...the pace of things in DC moves so fast that I have realized that if to be an effective policy analyst, you need to be able to express your opinion or argument in 1-2 pages or in a well-organized and thoughtfull 1-2 minute speech. It is funny because I joke sometimes that I get paid to do what I once did in school - read and write! Bottom line...the analytical reading and writing skills I developed at UPS through my P&G courses has made me successful in my current position.
Do you have any advice about what our students should make certain they do (or don’t do!) while still in school?
I would recommend for current students not to choose their current course load based on what they think they want to do later in life. Certainly, some of your courses will be affected by that, but having a broad base and diversity of interests and skills are important in differentiating yourself in the workplace. So if you are majoring in P&G, but want to take a psychology course, do it and don't be concerned about it fitting into your "overall master plan" or how it will fit. Being fluent in one or more languages, having a double major, or even a minor can give you the competitive advantage. Studying abroad is a big regret of mine and I feel that I missed out on great learning opportunities by not traveling and studying in another country, so I would recommend all students to take at least a semester to do that.
I would also say never to underestimate the power of internships. I think often times students get turned away by them because many are unpaid, but those can be VERY valuable learning experiences and also GREAT networking opportunities. Make time to do an internship, even if it is part-time and only a few hours a week, during your summer or even during the school year. Internships are a great way to explore your interests and test out certain career paths.
Do you have any advice about what our students should be thinking about as they consider their careers or further education?
Most importantly, follow your interests because working full-time can sometimes be a drag, especially if you are in a field of work that doesn't interest you. Doing something that you ENJOY will actually make working fun! I would also say not to be afraid to try something new - whether it is a class, an internship, or even a job. I thought I was going to go straight to law school and I took an internship and it has led to a very rewarding career path that I cannot possibly have imagined while I was in college.
Keep in mind that you don't have to STAY in the same career field your entire life. Heck! I still have interests of attending law school, but I also have a strong interest in becoming an elementary school teacher. Two very completely different career paths, but who says you can't try both?
Any other words of wisdom, or important questions I haven’t asked?
When I was a student, I benefited from talking with UPS alumni about their career paths, how they got to where they are, etc. I met a handful of UPS alumni and set up informational interviews and it really helped and it was a great opportunity to learn of internships and jobs. Don't underestimate the power of networking...it could lead to your next job or internship! I would be happy to be a resource to current students if they have interests in working on a political campaign or working in public policy. I can be reached via email at: andreatull[at]hotmail.com
I have attached two pictures.
One is with Senator John Kerry, Presidential Candidate in 2004. I was dressed in a peanut costume and this is one of the more humiliating campaign experiences.
The other is me when I went on a ride-along with the SeaTac Firefighters.
Since I handle labor issues, I do outreach to the labor community, which means I got to get suited up and ride along with some firefighters.
