Deborah Rowe ‘12
I grew up in Murrieta, California where I raised by a single mother. My mother, a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong, had always instilled in me a sense of independence and a fire to succeed despite any obstacle, just like she did. I was encouraged to believe that all my dreams were possible. Growing up a Disney fan and political junkie, I had two dreams: working for the Disneyland Resort and working in Washington, DC. When I graduated CSULB in 2012 with a degree in Political Science, I had a considerable amount of political experience under my belt. However, I decided to chase my first dream and landed a job with the Walt Disney Company. After about a year and a half with the company, I felt like it was time to chase the second dream. My job with Disney was great, but I felt like it was the right time to uproot myself from the safety net of Southern California and try it out in the Nation’s Capital. I quit my job and jumped on a plane the next day. I was fortunate enough to be offered a job in House Leadership in the United States Congress and that’s where I find myself today.
I currently work in Washington, DC as a staffer for the Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer. I explain my job as like House of Cards without the over-dramatics. In the office, I facilitate events and meetings as well as assist our Floor and Member Services in various tasks from getting information out to Member offices to maintaining relationships with congressional staff to running things up to the House Floor. The hours are long and unpredictable, there’s plenty of ego and drama to go around, but I honestly couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Every step of my career has played a part in getting me to where I am today. From my experiences in internships and college leadership to my time with Disney, I learned skills that contributed to my professional portfolio and helped build my brand. However, I’d say that the people who helped and encouraged me along the way are really the biggest part in my success. When I was working my way from intern to employee at Disney, my champions were the ones who helped me reached that next step and who later inspired me to follow my dreams of DC, even if that meant leaving the company. The connections I made throughout my career and in my first months in Washington also helped me secure my current position. Each step of a career is daunting and difficult, but having people to support you makes it so much easier.
The most rewarding part of my job is actually seeing the political process at work and seeing the gears turning in our federal government firsthand. Granted, Congress can be debilitated by gridlock and partisanship, but it’s an amazing thing to see staffers and Members from both sides of the aisle work together and actually respect each other. I feel like I’m part of something larger than myself and benefiting people’s lives in ways that I can’t even imagine and that’s all I’ve ever wanted in a career.
This is the kind of work I could only dream about when I was an undergrad. I still don’t believe it’s real sometimes. During my first month on the job, I had the opportunity to be on the Floor during the President’s State of Union address and shook President Obama’s hand in the hallway after the speech. I don’t think the college version of me could even conceive that happening.
The biggest transition for me came after graduation, and after I started my career, when I left my first job and took a huge risk to move to Washington. I did not have a job lined up yet and had decided to just jump in headfirst to see if I could succeed.
I learned so much from my time at CSULB. My time in student government, campus leadership, and my sorority taught me how to work with people, how to orchestrate, delegate, and plan, and how to grow professionally. I feel like college professional experiences are really times for growth where you can learn from your mistakes and realize your own potential. If it weren’t for my 3 years in ASI, I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today. Potential employers are always so impressed by what we’ve done at Long Beach and it’s great to represent the Beach and the CSU in DC in that way.
I wanted to stay connected with the university and to eventually give back to show gratitude for what it has given me.
I see myself still in Washington DC and likely still on the Hill or working in Government Relations (maybe even for Disney)!
My advice for upcoming graduates is to constantly push yourself, take risks, keep connected, and to stay humble. Especially in the political world, you can be eaten alive, but if you’re sure of your abilities, nothing can keep you down.
