3 min read

Episode #192 Intersection Of Health & Politics, Interview With Anna Ryu

Public Health Political Affairs Intern

In this episode, Anna walks us through her journey and why she is interested in public health. The field of public health lies at the intersection of her interests and allows her to approach issues with an intricate understanding of different issues. Anna also shares her experience of working at The Borgen Project and the valuable skills she gained from her internship. As a shy woman, she was encouraged to speak up and saw firsthand what can happen when you make your voice heard. I was so inspired by Anna and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for her!

Meet Anna

Anna is a current student at Tulane University where she is a member of the Tulane Honors Program. She began her career as a Political Affairs Intern for The Borgen Project. As an intern, Anna held lobbying meetings with the staff of her senators and representatives in her college state and in her home state in order to encourage her leaders to support specific global poverty reduction bills, many of which were public health related. Anna also met with Representative Madeleine Dean's Chief of Staff about the Global Child Thrive Act during her internship. After the meeting, Representative Dean co-sponsored or endorsed the bill, and it passed in the House of Representatives.

Additionally, Anna fundraised $1,280 for The Borgen Project, mobilized over 50 people to email Congress, and presented to 7 classes/organizations about The Borgen Project. After her internship, Anna became a Regional Director in order to continue advocacy work with The Borgen Project and advanced to the role of Political Affairs Assistant Manager. Anna is also involved as the treasurer of Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society at Tulane, as a tutor for a child at a local middle school, as a member of Asian American Student Union, and as a volunteer at University Medical Center New Orleans. Anna is enjoying her experience at Tulane University and in New Orleans, and she is excited to be a guest on Dr. Huntley's podcast!

Key Takeaways From This Episode

How Anna’s diverse voluntary experience is preparing her for the work she hopes to do.
The confidence Anna gained during her internship with The Borgen Project.
The bill Anna presented to her congressional leader and why she is so passionate about it.
Hear the incredible outcome of the bill that Anna presented.
What Anna is currently most passionate about in the field of public health.
The work Anna currently does with The Borgen Project.

Listen To The Podcast Episode

Anna's Career Advice to Public Health Students

(1) Make the most of your internships! With The Borgen Project, the internship is comprised of independent work, so what interns get out of the internship is up to them! If you put your all into an internship (although it’s hard with classes and other commitments as a college student), you will achieve so much and make an impact on the cause that your organization is fighting for, and opportunities will arise from your work that you didn’t even imagine would arise.

(2) Be proactive, and don’t be afraid to ask. After I completed my internship, in order to become a Political Affairs Assistant Manager, I asked the Political Affairs Manager if she was looking for any help or if there was a way that I could become more involved with The Borgen Project in addition to the advocacy work that I was doing as a Regional Director. The manager said that she actually did need help and that I could become an assistant manager!

(3) Always personalize your ask. As an intern, a Regional Director, and an assistant manager, I have realized how important tailoring a pitch or a response is to the person who will be receiving your pitch or response. I felt that people have been more receptive to personalized pitches or responses where research on the person or organization was done beforehand and that personalization greatly increases the chances of your pitch being accepted or your response being well-recepted. I have learned that although doing research on a person or an organization before pitching to them takes time, it’s always worth it.