By Mark Muckenfuss

Mabel Cummings has had a front-row seat to some recent historic events. 

For the first time ever, the House of Representatives voted out its speaker in October. Days of crippling chaos followed as the Republican members struggled to elect a new leader. 

Cummings, a CSU Monterey Bay senior, found herself in the midst of the drama as it unfolded. She is spending the fall semester as an intern in the office of Congressman Tony Cárdenas, whose district covers a swath of the San Fernando Valley. 

“Being part of such a historic moment has been a bit surreal,” Cummings said on the day Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, lost the vote for speaker for the third time. “A lot of my friends don't pay much attention to politics, and it's been cool explaining to everyone that this is a really big deal and is setting a concerning precedent for the future.”

The temporarily paralyzed Congress, she said, left her and others in limbo. There was one advantage.

“The congressman has a bit of downtime, so he's taking extra time to talk with all of us,” Cummings said of Cárdenas, “and as an intern that has been neat.”

Cummings is studying collaborative health and human services, with a concentration in social work and public administration. Her program requires students to do three semester-long internships to make sure they get real-world, hands-on experience. Cummings also spent a semester abroad, studying in Norway. 

“Doing all those things is helping me to learn just as much as I have in my courses,” she said. 

The D.C. internship is sponsored by the Panetta Institute, the offices of which are on the CSUMB campus. Each year, the program offers one student from each of the CSU’s 23 schools, as well as three private universities, the chance to spend the first semester of the academic year working in a congressional office. This year, funding from the Koret Foundation, allowed for a second CSUMB student, Emma Schneider, to participate. She is working in the office of Juan Vargas, D-Chula Vista.  

Cummings said when she learned about the Panetta internship, she jumped at the chance.

“It seemed like too crazy of an opportunity not to apply,” she said. “I thought working in the capital would be really cool, especially since I’m from Sacramento. I really love racial justice, juvenile justice and environmental policy.”

The hustle and bustle of the seat of government is in stark contrast to the kind of environment Cummings said she was looking for when she chose CSUMB.

“I really liked how quiet the campus is,” she said. “I liked it, the quiet and the nature.”

She also liked the size of the school.

“I think there are a lot of advantages to a small school,” she said. “I don’t think I would have had the same opportunities at a large school. Here, it’s easier to access the resources.” 

During her time at CSUMB, she has worked in the housing office and served as a resident advisor in the dorms. Having adequate housing on campus for all students, she said, is another plus. 

“Being able to stay on campus the whole time you’re a student here is unique,” she said. “And it’s affordable.

“If you’re looking for a quiet and low-key lifestyle,” she added, “if you’re looking for smaller classes and opportunities? We have a lot of opportunities.”

You can read other entries in the My Life at CSUMB series: 

Angie Davis lost the derby but gained a home

Samiya Terry was drawn by the beach but found a family