Name: Sof铆a D铆az
Class Year: 2026
Major: Political Science and Sociology
Minor: Transnational Italian Studies
Hometown: Luque, Paraguay
Internship Organization: Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay - National Congress of Paraguay
Internship Title: Legislative Intern
Location: Asunci贸n, Paraguay
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
This summer, I had the opportunity to work at the Chamber of Deputies in the National Congress of Paraguay. As an intern at the office of Representative Johanna Ortega, I have been working on elaborating briefing documents about the development and analysis of different policies and regulations discussed at the floor sessions, working closely with the communications team to share with the constituents what our office has been doing, and participating in meeting and events regarding gender equality policies.
Last week, along with Representative Ortega, I even had the opportunity to meet with the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States, where policies and needs of Paraguayan women were discussed to draft a document with international recommendations for Paraguay on gender policies. I also draft meeting summaries, develop debriefs, and assist other advisors in reviewing docs like the Chamber floor agenda.
Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied for this internship to gain hands-on experience working as a legislative assistant, which is a career field I鈥檝e always considered. When presented with the opportunity to work with someone like Representative Johanna, who is a young woman with an agenda focused primarily on gender equality, education, and climate action, I didn鈥檛 have to think twice. Working with someone who shares the same values as me, as the education I receive at Bryn Mawr, and as the values I want to see in my home country have added an incredible amount of meaning to the work I鈥檓 doing and the skills I鈥檓 acquiring. This internship will be vital not only for my professional career but also for developing a sense of purpose and meaning in my work.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of this internship is how passionate every one of my coworkers is. I get to meet very talented and passionate people and learn more about every stage of developing and implementing public policies, which makes the job extremely exciting every day. Most of the time, it all starts with a group of people trying to solve a particular issue they are passionate about (which reminds me a lot of Bryn Mawr students) who then start developing a regulation related to that issue. Finally, Representatives start voting on that regulation; being a witness to each stage of the process is extremely thrilling and rewarding.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship?
I would say it has been adapting to how hectic every day is. The office can focus on climate action one day, and the next, there is a new policy on healthcare or education that needs to be analyzed. You need to quickly think on your feet about a different topic that might not be your area of expertise in order to help your coworkers. I think this has been one of the biggest challenges for me but also one of the most valuable skills I鈥檝e mastered.
Through the Career and Civic Engagement Center Beyond Bryn Mawr Summer Internship Program, Bryn Mawr students pursue opportunities in fields such as nonprofits, government and law, health care, research, sciences, business, and the arts. Thanks to the generosity of our alumnae/i and donors, over 150 students across all academic departments are funded to pursue unpaid internships or research experiences in the U.S. and abroad each year.
CAREER & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT POLITICAL SCIENCE SOCIOLOGY TRANSNATIONAL ITALIAN STUDIES