Geography junior accepted into the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Internship Cohort

Texas State University student Elizabeth Moreno is elated about her upcoming summer internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Internship (CHCI).

“During my internship, some issues I plan to bring awareness to are the injustices that take place in the Hispanic community on a daily basis. From immigrants fleeing their war-torn countries, to harassment of local street vendors trying to survive. I anticipate making a difference in my community which has struggled for so long.”

A native of Houston, Moreno is a junior majoring in geography with a minor in biology.

“I think this internship will bring awareness to Texas State,” she said. “There are many incredible opportunities for students of color and first-generation college students. Bobcats deserve more recognition and representation; particularly those who are underrepresented. During this internship, I hope to be that representation and beacon of light.”

Moreno credits Sylvia Gonzales, director for Project Maestros and HSI STEM Impact and a member of the Hispanic Policy Network, with recommending her for this internship. 

“She forwarded an email from CHCI saying that we should apply. In the description, it said all majors were encouraged to apply and I thought it sounded like a fascinating opportunity,” Moreno said.

“I believe this internship will propel my career by providing me with perspectives that I haven't been exposed to yet. I've never worked in a congressional office before, so all of these are new experiences to me. These are experiences that I will probably remember for the rest of my life. This internship will afford many opportunities for me. CHCI has a graduate program that I will be applying to once I graduate in May 2022.”

Before starting at Texas State, Moreno said she wanted to be a doctor and started taking pre-med courses. “Most of my educational experience is life-science based. After discovering that the medical field was not for me, I became interested in environmental conservation and interpretation. Although I am no longer interested in the health science route, I did learn valuable skills that I can take into different fields. This internship is very political, but with my knowledge and the skills that I gained from previous experiences, I feel like I can be successful.”

“By the completion of my internship, I would like to learn skills that will help me improve my community, learn how to write legislation, maintain connections that I made during the internship, establish myself as a professional, start to look into applying for CHCI’s graduate program, and begin my plans to move to Washington, D.C.”