My Italian American heritage has always played a large role in my life. From a young age, the stories of my family’s hard work to make a new life for themselves in America inspired me to put my best foot forward in not only my studies but also in my career.

As a political science major, working in Washington, D.C., was frequently thought of as a dream job for some far-off future. Luckily, I did not have to wait as long as I expected when I was offered this Fellowship and placed in the Office of Republican Minority Whip Steve Scalise (La.-01).