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Ashley
Compton
Intern
in Action, March 2004
Intern for New York City Mayor Bloomberg's Special Advisor
Ester Fuchs
 When
Barnard Senior Ashley Compton says that she interns in the
Mayor's office, she means it quite literally. New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has set up his office so that all
of his staff—the deputy mayors, the advisors and even
the interns—work side by side in one large room. Compton,
an Urban Studies major from Washington, D.C., has worked in that room since May as an intern
for Bloomberg's Special Advisor Ester Fuchs. Compton says being so close to the Mayor has
intensified her experience.
Compton was in the room, for instance, when the lights went
out during the blackout in August 2003. As the generators
kicked in, she was able to observe the City's Crisis Management
Team in action,
gaining a greater understanding of the complex processes administrations go through during difficult situations. "Most
mayors in local government don't set up their offices the
way he does. I'm learning so much more than if I were just
in an office building," Compton says.
Of course, the lessons Compton has learned by proximity are on top of those she's learning
working directly with Dr. Fuchs, a Barnard Political Science and Urban Studies professor who is on leave while working for Bloomberg. As Special Advisor for Governance and
Strategic Planning, Dr. Fuchs works on a variety of policy
projects for the Mayor. Currently, she is working on integrating
the technology of the City’s 13 human service agencies,
which will improve residents’ ability to access City
services. In addition, she is managing the City’s effort
to restructure its Out-of-School Time programs, focusing on
programs for children not only after school, but beforehand
and on weekends too.
Compton, who previously worked as an intern for Congressman Steny
H. Hoyer of Maryland in high school, began working for Dr.
Fuchs after hearing of the opportunity from the Barnard Urban
Studies Department. Initially, she went through press clips,
managed Fuchs's schedule, and performed other administrative
duties. Dr. Fuchs then gave her more responsibilities as the summer
and fall went on, sending Compton in her place to attend meetings
and having her draft text for speeches and testimony to be
delivered to the City Council or at professional conferences.
"I've been impressed with the responsibilities they have
allowed me to undertake in such a short amount of time,"
Compton says.
Most recently Compton helped organize the Mayor's Out-of-School
Time Summit, which brought together city officials, leaders
from foundations that fund out-of-school-time activities,
and community-based organizations that provide programs. The
summit began a year-long planning process. The goal of the
planning process is to provide as many children as possible
with quality programs that would not just keep them occupied,
but actually supplement their education and personal development.
Compton will be paid during the spring semester to assist
Dr. Fuchs in the planning process.
In addition to her minor in political science, Compton is
involved in politics closer to home. She currently serves
as Senior Class Vice President and has formerly served as
First-Year Class Secretary, Sophomore Class Vice President,
and Junior Class President. After graduation Compton hopes
to continue working in local government, specifically in legislative
affairs before pursuing a legal education.
Click
here to see past Interns
in Action.
If
you would like to be featured as the Barnard Intern in Action
please send an email to Cara Smith, Internship Program Coordinator,
at csmith@barnard.edu.
Indicate where you are interning, what you are doing, and
why you would like to be considered.
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