Passion and Perseverance

Alyssa Ray (Photo courtesy of HelloGiggles.com).

Here at the Office of Public Engagement, we like to think of ourselves as the front door to the White House. We say that because we are largely reponsible for facilitating a dialogue between the President and the American people. This affords us opportunities to meet exceptional citizens from all over the country and to give folks a seat at the table to inform the policies impacting our lives. From small business owners creating jobs and opportunity, to teachers that are educating our nation’s future leaders to the engineers that are working on the next great technological innovation, these Americans never cease to inspire us and reinvigorate our commitment to public service.

This past Spring, Alyssa Ray served as a White House intern and developed her own passion for serviceand to expand opportunity for all Americans. Our friends atHelloGiggles sat down with Alyssa to talk about her mission to advance equalityand more in this week's edition of "Women Working to Do Good:"

“I would love to go into public service,” said Alyssa. “My passions right now are civil rights and equal opportunity employment, particularly after working on disability outreach and advocacy. I’m very passionate about going in that direction.” Alyssa believes women should take chances and apply for positions, even if they’re not sure they meet the qualifications, as long as they’re passionate about what they’re doing. “What I’ve found is that passion is such a key ingredient,” said Alyssa. “If you’re passionate about something don’t let anyone discourage you from it, even if there’s a lot of negative opinions. Just take risks, go for what you believe in.”

Alyssa's passion was a welcome addition to the White House this spring, and we look forward to hearing about the work she will do in the future. If you are interested in the White House internship program, visit the program's website and apply today.

Read more about Women Working to Do Good: 

• Faith and Pride
• Breaking the Silence
• Moxie Maven
• Turning the Page on Illiteracy
• Juggling Many Arts
• Notes of Hope
• Painting a New Picture of DC
• Canine Compassion
• She ”Shoots”, She Scores
• Feeding the Body and Mind
• Opening Up Opportunities
• A Voice for Change
• Embodying Confidence
• Letters From the Heart
• A Hug Around the World

Ronnie Cho is an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement.