Horizons Fall 2015

11 NSU HORIZONS public service and helped lead to his decision to apply for the White House internship. O’Brien and Brad A. Williams, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs and dean of NSU College of Undergraduate Studies, wrote “incredible letters of recom- mendation,’’ said Williams. “They said, ‘You have the skill set to do it. We believe in you, we support you.’ ” Williams turned in his application and said he thought, “if nothing else, I’ll get a no.” Instead, there was silence. After months passed, he’d given up hope of being accepted, and took an auditing job in Virginia—at the Department of Defense. Then, after only three days at work, he received a call that he was selected to be a White House intern working on presi- dential correspondence. He was able to arrange a leave of absence at his job, and went to work writing policy letters and general public letters for 3½ months. When the interns were invited to write a speech for a speak- ers series to introduce Michelle Obama, Williams threw himself into the project—a bit too much, he recalled. “I was initially trying to write a grandiose speech. I was trying too hard; I got frustrated.” Realizing he didn’t want to introduce the First Lady for the “glitz and the glamour,” he took a fresh approach. “I wrote what it meant to be the first black First Lady. How she operates as a person, thinking about her being raised on the south side of Chicago. I wrote about a lady everyone can look up to,” Williams said. His speech was selected. “It was this crazy thing. I got the chance to introduce her during the fall 2014 White House Internship Speaker Series with the First Lady,’’ Williams said. “We took photos together. She was super encouraging. She was so personable, extremely cool. Her humor is what got me. She said the speech was awesome and she loved it.” And, unlike the backstabbing, cynical White House featured in popular TV shows like Veep and House of Cards , the Obama White House appreciates its interns, Williams said. “Interns always felt valued,’’ Williams pointed out. “When I got a chance to meet the First Lady, she kept telling me, ‘thank you.’ The President, as well, said, ‘Thank you for all you do. What we do would not be possible without you.’ ” After an information session for the interns on the Affordable Care Act, where Williams actively asked questions, he found himself invited to join a work group on the health care law. During the fall, the interns had a couple of chances to meet with the commander in chief. “One of the things the President said to us,” Williams said, “that realigned my entire thought process was when he told us, ‘Don’t just chase a title, chase a purpose.’ ” Williams said he came to realize from his time in the White House that public service was his calling. “My passion is speaking for those who are unheard because they are different or don’t have money,” he added. In fact, Williams doesn’t rule out a run for office down the road. But in the meantime, he’s busy, learning and listening. “The importance of leadership for me is to understand what it is to be a follower, to be committed to learning,’’ he said, “then, being in a position to make an impact, trying to make things better for everyone.” n