This past spring semester two Farmingdale State College students had the opportunity of a lifetime. Simran Mohan a Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement Technology major and Gerasimos Arsenis a Business Management major were afforded the opportunity to participate in the New York State (NYS) Assembly and Senate Internship Program in Albany.

The NYS Assembly and Senate Internship application process is very competitive. Both Simran and Gerasimos had the honor of being accepted into the NYS Senate Internship Program. The Senate only offers approximately 30 spots for undergraduate students statewide each spring semester. The internship is a two-component internship, an experiential component and an academic component. Both Simran and Gerasimos worked full time in their assigned Senators' office, while also attending academic classes that are held by Professors-in-Residence in Albany. Through this, they were able to gain first-hand experience of what it takes to work in state government and in the Capitol Building.

During their time working in the office, they aimed to help the populations of their districts, respectively, as well as undertake responsibilities that support the work of their assigned senator. They also had to write a research paper on a topic they selected and a reflection of the internship overall and submit it to the FSC campus liaison.

Gerasimos was assigned to State Senator Thomas O'Mara of the 58th Senate District which encompasses counties from the Southern Tier of New York and the Finger Lakes regions. Simran was assigned to State Senator Kevin Thomas from the 6th District which encompasses parts of Nassau County.

In reflection of her time in Albany Simran commented, "I have developed a good professional relationship with everyone in my office which has proven helpful in providing guidance to my future goal of attending law school." Simran said: "I find the academic portion of the program to be exceedingly informative. Each week at the seminar we are able to meet with someone in a different field of work that gives a chance to learn about their experience and ask questions."

For the first three months of the internship, Simran and Gerasimos settled into the daily routine and responsibilities of the internship and their academic obligations. While our FSC students thrived in Albany, their journey was about to take an unexpected turn March, concerns about the coronavirus gripped the capitol in Albany just as they gripped the Farmingdale State College campus. By mid-March, interns were directed to return home for their safety. Simran and
Gerasimos responded to an unprecedented change in the internship with focus and determination. They had seamlessly continued to work in support of their respective State Senators from a remote capacity. In addition, they also were required to complete the academic component of the internship. They worked with their instructors who conducted their class at the capitol and stayed in constant communication with their FSC campus faculty liaison. The logistics of this change was a new hurdle for both of them.
While working in a remote setting, one of Gerasimos' tasks that carried over to his remote responsibilities was to take calls from Senator Thomas O'Mara's constituents. Gerasimos realized that "we must be patient with ourselves in a wake of life changing events. We mustn't be hasty to respond to constituents when we do not know the answer to their questions. Listen to their needs, do research, and develop a charismatic and thorough response to assuage their concerns."

Simran had a slightly different experience. Once she began remote responsibilities she noticed a change in the focus of her work. Her tasks became more writing intensive for Senator Kevin Thomas's office. Any differences in their experiences while working remotely did not change the fact that our FSC interns had both completed their obligation in each component despite the circumstance.

This internship is an intensive experience and the interns this year had a new challenge added to the mix. Gerasimos commented "Despite the unwanted intrusion of the coronavirus, each of us has experienced the reward of learning to function under new conditions" The adaptability and perseverance Simran and Gerasimos demonstrated show just how dedicated they are to their studies and their pursuit of excellence