The Activist Intern

Last October 5, while her classmates were spending a typical Monday of classes and sports and maybe even hearing the distinctive hum of bagpipes back on the campus in Wooster, Alyssa Wilmot '00 was participating in her first protest in the nation's capital.

"It was such a new experience," remembered the philosophy major with a double minor in dance and political science. "I'd participate in 'Take Back the Night' marches at Wooster before, but that was nothing like this. Being in D.C. just opened me up to so many new things."

And new things are just what Wilmot's fall semester was all about. Last spring, she made the decision to spend a semester off campus in Washington through a program with American University. An integral part of this off-campus experience is an internship which each students combines with a seminar in a chosen field.

"When I first arrived, I was given a book that lists all of the internships that are available. The National Organization for Women wasn't in the book, but I knew that was an organization I wanted to work with," said Wilmot.

After some preliminary calling and interviews with other groups, Wilmot found herself in the NOW headquarters interviewing for a position as a publication intern with the feminist organization's newspaper, National NOW Times. She eventually was offered the job, but had to make a tough choice between opportunities with NOW, Free the Planet, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

"I knew I had to go with NOW," said Wilmot. "Looking back, I made the right decision."

Explained Wilmot: "My interest in NOW is something that has come with college. I've always been a feminist, but I didn't really know it until I came to college. My beliefs didn't have a name until I came to college. Until then, I didn't realize that I wasn't the only one out there with those same beliefs."

Given her interest in feminism, the internship helped Wilmot to make sense of and strengthen her beliefs. It also allowed her to meet some of her idols. One of Wilmot's most exhilarating experiences occurred when C-SPAN held a panel discussion commemorating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the women's movement. "I got to meet Betty Friedan and have her sign my copy of The Feminist Mystique. It was so exciting," said Wilmot.

The NOW internship also gave her a chance to work on a daily basis with one of her role models, NOW President Patricia Ireland. "The whole experience was just 'Wow.' I couldn't believe I was working in the same office with one of my role models in life," said Wilmot.

"Everyone was so accepting of me. There was no, 'Oh, you're an intern.' I was thrown into the position and had to learn," she added. Having no previous publication experience, everything was new. "I was assigned a supervisor, who happened to be the managing editor, Lisa Bennett-Haigney, and I worked one-on-one with her on the paper."

Wilmot was assigned to write one of the major pieces for the winter issue. Her story focused on Love Your Body Day. "I got to tally results of a survey that was done about body image and to write the article," said Wilmot. "It really was fun, and it was interesting to see what people thought."

As exciting as the task was, it was also daunting at times. "I was a philosophy major coming in, and it was difficult for me to switch from writing theory to activist writing. Learning about that was probably the hardest thing I had to do," said Wilmot.

Though she will always carry her new writing skills, the most important lesson Wilmot learned is less tangible. "Being in D.C. kicked me," she said. "I thought, 'Why have I been sitting on my butt for so long?' There is all this activist stuff, and I have just been caught up in my own little world, defending myself and other feminists against frat boys. That's not enough, though. Now I know that I need to get out."

The October 5 protest was only the start of Wilmot's new-found enthusiasm for activism. While picketing the U.S. Supreme Court to protest the court's hiring practices of law clerks, Wilmot made a decision to devote herself to getting active once she was back on campus. She wanted to make sure that other voices were heard.

"The day I got back, I got more involved with the Women's Resource Center. I am so gung ho right now," said Wilmot. "I think this campus is very conducive to activism. You can do anything here. My freshman year I choreographed a dance about women viewed by men as sex objects. I wish more people would get involved. Activism makes you feel like a better person."

Karen Beckwith (political science) taught Wilmot during her first year at Wooster. Beckwith observes that Wilmot's was an almost ideal internship, testing what she had learned in class, challenging her to adapt to a new and demanding environment, and offering the opportunity to integrate intellectual work with practical experience.

"Internships can serve to extend a student's education beyond the foundation provided by an excellent liberal arts college," said Beckwith. "Alyssa's experience at the National Organization of Women is exemplary of the best internships: she was prepared by her coursework in political science and philosophy to undertake an internship at NOW; she was given extensive but not burdensome responsibility for writing, organizing, and mobilizing for NOW; and those to whom Alyssa was responsible listened to her suggestions and responded to her.

"Alyssa was able to combine her academic and intellectual interests with political activism in the ideal internship setting. The success of Alyssa's experience was further demonstrated when she returned to campus, enthusiastic and energetic, bringing with her new ideas and initiatives for her professors, for Women's Studies, and for feminist organizations on campus."

Wilmot is busily incorporating the lessons from her internship into her life at Wooster. Early in the spring semester, she helped organize a mini-Love Your Body Day with WRC and hopes to see a similar event implemented soon on the larger scale.

Concludes Wilmot: "The lessons I learned at NOW are ones I am going to take with me the rest of my life."