This week, we interviewed Andrew Castillo (he/him), a junior from Los Angeles, CA concentrating in Public Policy and Sociology. Read our conversation below:

How is your junior year going?
Well to start, last semester I was doing the Brown in Washington program. The main reason I did it was because I was stuck between doing econ and public policy, and I think being in D.C. really helps you get views of both sides. I worked with Senator Reed of Rhode Island. That whole experience – taking classes there, working on the hill, meeting so many incredible people – made me realize I wanted to go into policy.

Favorite memory during your time at Brown?
If I had to pick one, I’d say my best semester was in D.C. I think it was when, on the final day of working at Senator Reed’s office, they told the interns to go deliver a present because we were doing secret santa. We get to this room, drop off the present, and there are more than 30 senators. You see Kamala Harris grabbing a present and dipping, Ted Cruz in the corner. I had so much appreciation for that moment because not many people can say I saw so and so senators, or have the opportunity to be in a place that holds so much power. It was a good reflection of how far I’ve come.

Who is the most influential person in your life?
My parents. I don’t think I realized how much they’ve sacrificed for me, like the after school programs they enrolled me in. I could stay and do homework and play but looking back, part of that was due to them having to work to support the family. 

My parents are from Ecuador, and I’m realizing the importance and value of family has motivated me to try harder. I feel like in high school I thought I just have to try hard to go to college. But now that I’m in college I’m like why do I have to do well? Do I have to stay up late to do this assignment? So much has gone into me being here, but I’m finding inner motivation to stay.

Favorite part of your concentration?
I think my favorite part has been the way I ended up deciding public policy. I went to after school programs when I was little and that motivated me to give back to them, so I volunteered there. Working with early childhood education motivated me to intern with the program that I had been with over the summer. I started getting involved with nonprofit work. As much as they can impact students’ lives, there are so many resources that they don’t have. That’s when I started working with policy because it felt like that’s where real change happens. You can volunteer at after school programs, but policy changes structures. Washington D.C. helped me recognize the power of policy and working on different bills.