A TWU student has returned from a COVID-modified six-week internship in the Canadian Parliament.
Jenisa Los, a political science major, spent a semester at the Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC), TWU’s residential internship program in Ottawa.
Los, an Abbotsford resident, was among a group of TWU students selected for the Ottawa program this fall.
“I wanted to experience life on the Hill and learn from Canadian leaders who are shaping the political landscape,” she said.
During her time in Ottawa, Los interned for a Member of Parliament.
“I have been crafting correspondence, preparing policy briefs and briefing notes, participating in committee and other parliamentary meetings, writing news releases, and contributing to the office work and administrative tasks,” she said.
The program had to change due the pandemic year.
LLC students normally spend the semester living with peers at the historic Booth Mansion in downtown Ottawa. This year, with COVID-19 restrictions, the LLC program made some adjustments to ensure the program’s continued success.
The modifications were to split the fall LLC cohort into two groups. Cohort 1 were the first to arrive at the LLC and work full-time internships. Meanwhile, Cohort 2 completed their classes online. In the last week of October, the two cohorts switched places.
“Ottawa has such a vibrant culture,” Los said. “I have tried so many new things, such as shawarma on Elgin Street, biking in Gatineau Park, Quebec, wandering through the National Art Gallery, and watching a procession before the Throne Speech that the Prime Minister also attended.”
