Wimberley graduates taking over Washington, D.C.

What are the odds? Three Wimberley High School graduates just finished the congressional term interning for three different U.S. Representatives. The interns, being three friends from Wimberley, were taking over in Washington D.C.

Hunter Sosby Class of 2015, Ellie Mullins ‘16, and Mikayla Sanders ’17 are the three WHS grads. All three have majored in Political Science in college and interest in government has served them well.

Sosby was an intern for Lloyd Doggett-Austin, Mullins for Michael Conaway-Odessa/Midland and Sanders for Henry Cuellar-San Antonio. The girls stayed in a dorm for most of their time in D.C. and Sosby stayed at a Trinity University friend’s apartment.

Sosby is a 2019 graduate of Trinity University and has majored in Political Science and Spanish. “All three of us, it was kind of wild,” Sosby said. He applied to Doggett’s website and was happily accepted.

“Each morning, there was mail, about 100 to 200 pieces per day, and it was routed to the proper staff member. Our office handled our own mail and for all our staff members. I also worked with draft responses… and answering phone calls.” Calls from constituents were mostly about healthcare and gun control.

He also got to do research, background information for press conferences, legislation and speeches as well as “future legislation, attending meetings with Doggett and working with lobbyists.” His best day on the job?

“I got to meet Jon Stewart who was visiting the office next door… I saw him in the hall and got to shake his hand.” His worst day? Clerical work going through profiles and get rid of duplicates. “It took four hours going through thousands of them by hand.”

Since he is a 2019 Trinity graduate, Sosby is now looking for a job and remaining in D.C. “I’ll apply for jobs in other offices. I’d like international relations, get some work experience and then get a Master’s degree.”

Ellie Mullins ‘17 was an intern for Michael Conaway, a representative from West Texas this year. Conaway’s duties were vastly different than that of the urban representatives Doggett and Cuellar.

Conaway serves as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, among other duties. Her way to the internship was majoring in Political Science at Abilene Christian University, and a cousin that works for Conaway. She applied to a lot of representatives, but in late April of this year, got the call from Conaway’s office.

“I got to work with my cousin, and after researching Conaway, I thought this is for me.” She was able to give tours, work on an informative video on the Capitol tower, answer phones and other tasks the staff would give to her. “I had to hand-deliver an urgent message to each of the 200 something Republican Representatives in all three House Offices.”

Her most memorable moments were “being part of a tour that climbed to the top of the Capitol Dome.

It was a private tour,” and the congressional baseball game. Conaway was a coach and played first base. “Pence and Pelosi were there. It was cool to see all those congressmen. Amazing.”

“It is extremely stressful. You learn not to take it personal… dealing with callers was a challenge.” But she still wants to come back to D.C. Her worst time in Washington? “I did get yelled at by (another U.S. Representative) for getting caught riding the ‘Congress Members Only’ elevator. And Congress was not even in session,” said Mullins. She continued.

“I’m passionate about government. With my major and studies, I am in the right place in D.C. I have to go back, but no concrete plans right now. I’m just making connections now.”

WHS graduate 2017; Mikayla Sanders just finished her internship with U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar of San Antonio. She attends Texas Tech and hopes to graduate in three years with a major in Political Science and a minor in Public Relations.

Her road to an internship was first getting approval from Tech and then she could apply as a Congressional intern. Her time on the student government and other Tech organizations helped her in her internship.

“Cuellar is a blue dog democrat. He’s pro-life and pro-guns,” Sanders said. “I sent out several applications to congressmen but the best fit was Cuellar, in a district close to home.”

She got to stay in an apartment that Tech owns in D.C. “Right next to the Capitol, a five minute walk.”

“I worked with the press secretary and got involved. I made graphics for the Twitter page. Almost all their graphics I wrote to get my feet wet. It was cool to think I had a hand in the legislative record.”

Her Tech program is well rounded, but high school classes with dual credits helped immensely. With graduate college classes she will graduate in 2021 with her M.A. She hopes in the future to work with non-profits, in D.C.

But she has nothing but praise for Wimberley though. “I’m a Texan girl through and through. Wimberley to the big city. When I make my way back to Central Texas I feel comfort, it’s where I belong.”