I was aghast at the recent commentary “Poli Sci advisors: Get better jobs, now” (February 23, 2005). As an alumni of the NU Political Science Department and recipient of a co-op award, I could write volumes about how the co-op program in has furtherd both my career and education. However, since this commentary was a personal slander on the political science department I wish to specifically refute all the the author’s points.

I want to begin by saying that I realize the writer is young and inexperienced. Being a sophomore, I assume he is applying to co-op jobs for the first time and it is ignorance not malice or spite that motivated him.

Never would I have described the co-op opportunties available to me at NU as “close to pathetic”. Sometimes limited yes, sometimes competitive yes, sometimes less than glamourous yes. Welcome to politics, my dear lad. Over the past six years in politics, I have learned that the least glamorous jobs are generally the most important and crucial and that one must first pay their dues through hard work to acheive that dream job.

I began campaigns working for $3.75 an hour. No that is not a typo and I promise if you decide to pursue a career in this profession you will have to explain yourself to every family member and friend you encounter. They will look at you befuddled and ask “You really work for that little? You REALLY haven’t had a day off in SEVEN MONTHS?”. There are few, and I mean VERY few people in politics who receive the money and recognition they deserve. Many would like you to believe otherwise but regardless of party affiliation, race, age experience or geographic location, the political arena is chock full of underpaid, overworked and seveerly underappreciated people. That is the nature of the business.

Being recently in the market for a new job, I spoke with a staff member at a State Senator’s office here in Boston. The staffer had posted a job as a legislative assisant and received over 120 applicants. These included people with masters degrees, years of state house and legislative experience and, most importantly, the list included applicants from the Senator’s district and there is nothing that constituents like more than to know that one of their own is working for an elected offical. It’s quite brazen and overzealous of any sophomore to believe they had a shot given the competition.

As for Lester Lee and Bill Wray specically, they have bent over backwards to help any and every student find a job they will enjoy and learn from. The students that I knew in the Political Science Department had nothing but positive comments about both men and I personally, found all of my interactions with them to be helpful and essential to me finding a job.

I found this commentary to be insulting to a program and a staff I credit with the successful career that I have had and continue to have in my post- collegiate life. Because of my co-op experience I was the ONLY person in my office to be hired without an interview for my first job out of college. I was the ONLY person that did not attend an Ivy League school and incidently I was the ONLY person to be promoted. I now have a competive edge that has taken me further than I ever dreamed. Because of my poli-sci co-ops, I have worked on amazing national and statewide campaigns. I have travelled the country and the world and received awards for the opportunities that the poli-sci department made available to me.

I want to offically thank NU for making me a competive and sought after professional. When preparing this letter my current boss mentioned that my NU co-op experience was one of the main reasons I was hired. Oh and by the way, there are plenty of co-ops at think tanks- I know because I work at one and we employ co-ops.

Real life in politics isn’t like the “West Wing”. It is public service and if you do not have the drive and dedication to work for a cause regardless of the outcome or your own personal gain, I suggest you consider another career. You might want to check out computer science or engineering- I hear they make bank.