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Political Science major Rachael Rooklin '21 served as an intern at the Rhode Island General Assembly this semester, writing policy on providing more affordable mental health care access for Rhode Island’s unhoused population. She will intern at the Massachusetts Legislature this summer as she prepares to apply for law school, and hopes to become a disability-rights lawyer and activist.

Growing Her Skillset: “I’ve learned how to better work as a team, and how to reach out to other experts in the field. I’ve learned how to be a better policy writer, and how to make my points clear. Now I get the opportunity to write something that could eventually be made into an actual policy.”

Presenting To Legislators: “I’m both nervous and excited for to present my research in front of actual legislators. Who knows, this fight may inspire a legislator to take on our ideas. It might not come right away, but hopefully they keep it in mind.”

In Person, On Campus: “It meant a lot to be back on campus for my senior year. When Roger reopened in the fall, I said to my parents, ‘I’m going back to Roger because as much as I love you, I don’t want to be home.’ I needed that person-to-person interaction.”

Rooklin is from Swampscott, Mass.