HE RTS IN THE HIGHL NDS Students get their practical politics on with the help of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and many other purveyors of opportunity at USC Dornsife. First stop, the White House. By Michelle Salzman Boston
THINKING CAP Before graduating, USC Dornsife undergraduates learn to roll up their sleeves and experience working in politics and impacting policy.
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Standing on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Roxana Ontiveros had one thing on her mind: her Highland Park neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles. The daughter of Mexican immigrants and the first in her family to attend college, Ontiveros had taken her debut airplane trip to participate in a summer internship with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The junior political science and American studies and ethnicity major at USC Dornsife was bringing Highland Park to the decision-making hub of the country. Now was her chance to make efforts to improve her community. “I felt like it was my responsibility to bring my neighborhood into focus in what’s happening in D.C.,” she said. “My hometown is always at the forefront of my mind.” In Washington, D.C., Ontiveros learned about Latinofocused education policy, communications and outreach at the U.S. Department of Education. She is passionate about bringing the community and government together to improve educational prospects for minorities. During her internship, arranged through USC Dornsife’s Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, she wrote a white paper on the success of Latino males in the United States, gathering data such as college graduation and incarceration rates. Her work will be used to help policymakers strengthen educational opportunities for Latinos, the nation’s largest and fastest-growing population. Throughout her time in Washington, D.C., “I felt empowered to contribute to research on such an important topic,” Ontiveros said. Ontiveros intends to become a litigation attorney, but isn’t ruling out the idea of one day running for office or teaching law. USC Dornsife’s support has been crucial in setting her up for success, Ontiveros said. A political leadership award
from the Unruh Institute provided her with funding to support her internship. “Without it, I would not have been able to participate in this life-changing experience,” she said. USC Dornsife offers exceptional opportunities for students such as Ontiveros to gain hands-on experience working in politics and impacting policy. Through internships, courses, mentorship and scholarships, students develop leadership skills and gain the experience to make a difference through civic engagement at the local, national and international levels. Dan Schnur, director of the Unruh Institute since 2008, said the foundation for extraordinary work begins with USC’s commitment to its community. “USC has always stressed the importance of USC students and faculty working with surrounding neighborhoods,” he said. The result is a student body that is devoted to improving Los Angeles, he added. Through the Unruh Institute, Schnur wants to show students that becoming involved in politics and government is a logical extension of their community work. “Cleaning up a park or teaching an at-risk child to read is tremendous, but working to elect candidates to office who will help further those goals on a much larger scale is the next critical step,” Schnur said. An institute goal is bridging the academic study of politics with practical experience in the field. For example, the Unruh Fellows Program brings top politicians and policy professionals to campus to participate in panel discussions and smaller, informal meetings with students. The institute’s Legislators in Residence Program recruited Republican Tony Strickland, a former California state senator, and Democrat Anthony Portantino, a former California state assembly member, to be on-campus mentors. In addition to speaking on panels and co-teaching