California Golden Bears Athletics
Karina Langli spent last summer as an intern in the San Diego office for Sen. Kamala Harris
An Education In Politics
5/24/2019 9:12 AM | Beach Volleyball, Inside The Lair
Beach Volleyball's Karina Langli Benefits From Internship With Sen. Kamala Harris
This feature originally appeared in the Spring edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
Karina Langli didn't get a local government internship she applied for last spring.
Securing an opportunity with potentially the next President of the United States was a pretty nice consolation prize.
Langli, a senior on the Cal beach volleyball team, spent last summer serving as an intern in the San Diego office of U.S. Senator Kamala Harris. Langli answered calls from constituents, sat in on policy meetings and attended special events.
Not bad for someone who found out about the internship opportunity about 48 hours before the application deadline.
"I started looking into senators and Congress members and assembly and senate members for the California legislature," said Langli, who is majoring in political economy with a minor in public policy. "I found out about it about two days before the deadline. I was hard-pressed to get everything done. I had to start working on it immediately and reach out to as many people as I could to ask for help editing or letters of recommendation. Luckily, people responded and helped me out."
Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic nomination in January.
Langli had to write three essays for the application that answered three questions – What do you think the biggest national issue is today, what piece of legislation would you like to see passed, and why do you want to work for Senator Harris? Langli worked right up to the deadline before submitting it.
About a month later, Langli received an e-mail from Harris' office requesting a phone interview. She didn't think it went very well.
Two weeks later, she was offered the internship.
"I was at my house in Berkeley and was kind of having a bad day and I got the e-mail that I got the internship and my eyes popped out of my head," Langli said. "I immediately called my mom. I was jumping around the house. Nobody was home. I was overjoyed. I was shocked but so, so happy."
Langli, who hails from Encinitas in San Diego County, moved back home for the summer and began working in Harris' office. She worked with three other interns.
The majority of the internship consisted of fielding phone calls from constituents on a variety of topics. Langli would enter data into a computer based on the content of the call – for instance, if a voter favored or opposed a certain issue. Some callers expressed vehement support for Harris; others were the opposite.
Langli and the other interns were prohibited to speak on Harris' behalf but could repeat public statements she had made previously or provide information about legislation she had supported.
"I think I was a little surprised at how many people really wanted their voices to be heard and wanted their officials to hear their voices," Langli said. "People talk about how we have such a low voter turnout, but I was taking over 200 calls a day – and all of her other offices were taking way more than that. There are people out there who do care what happens in California and the United States. It's really amazing that in the United States we have a system where citizens' voices can be heard and representatives can make that into policy to make positive change."
Langli received a lot of calls from voters suggesting Harris run for president. "I would tell them I would let the senator know and thank them for their support," Langli said.
While Langli was interested in having some sort of political internship, getting an opportunity with Harris was a bonus. Langli was already a Harris supporter and gained further admiration after watching her serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee's confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh.
"I really liked how she didn't let anyone at any hearing get away with answering in an untruthful way," Langli said. "That's what really attracted me to her views and her moral character. I'm interested in her views and had been a supporter already, so I thought it would be really amazing to have an internship at one of her offices."
Langli said she began taking an interest in politics and government around the fourth grade. While attending high school at the San Dieguito Academy, she took part in the YMCA's Model Legislature & Court program which brings together a cross-section of students from across the state for youth leadership and civic development training. The program culminates with a five-day "takeover" at the state capitol in Sacramento where students engage in a mock legislative session.
While at Cal, Langli has been heavily involved in GBAC (Golden Bear Advisory Committee) and now serves as vice president.
"She really leads by example," said GBAC president Makayla Ward, a junior on Cal's lacrosse team. "I go to her for a lot of advice. She's a great sounding board with great ideas. I can't speak more highly of Karina."
Cal director of student-athlete development Bobby Thompson, who oversees GBAC, said Langli never turns down a task – no matter its significance. He also helped Langli through the quick application process for the internship in Harris' office.
"She showed initiative, confidence and preparation," Thompson said. "When you can combine confidence with preparation, that allows you to learn about an opportunity two days in advance and still put your best foot forward. She loved that challenge. She had the aptitude and ambition to pursue it. Seeing how she navigated that process was very impressive."
During her internship, Langli was able to attend a discussion with government officials and experts examining issues with contaminated water coming up from Mexico to Imperial Beach outside San Diego. She also attended a meeting at San Diego International Airport regarding a terminal renovation and helped plan an appearance Harris made at a naval base.
After each meeting or call with staffers, Langli wrote a recap that was sent to higher-ups in Harris' office.
"It was amazing to be a part of," Langli said. "It was so cool just to see policy develop and those conversations actually happen. I felt I was more prepared for those sort of experiences coming from Berkeley."
"She's set herself up for success," Ward said. "She's overall just a great person and great leader. She's someone you can really look up to as a role model."
Karina Langli didn't get a local government internship she applied for last spring.
Securing an opportunity with potentially the next President of the United States was a pretty nice consolation prize.
Langli, a senior on the Cal beach volleyball team, spent last summer serving as an intern in the San Diego office of U.S. Senator Kamala Harris. Langli answered calls from constituents, sat in on policy meetings and attended special events.
Not bad for someone who found out about the internship opportunity about 48 hours before the application deadline.
"I started looking into senators and Congress members and assembly and senate members for the California legislature," said Langli, who is majoring in political economy with a minor in public policy. "I found out about it about two days before the deadline. I was hard-pressed to get everything done. I had to start working on it immediately and reach out to as many people as I could to ask for help editing or letters of recommendation. Luckily, people responded and helped me out."
Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic nomination in January.
Langli had to write three essays for the application that answered three questions – What do you think the biggest national issue is today, what piece of legislation would you like to see passed, and why do you want to work for Senator Harris? Langli worked right up to the deadline before submitting it.
About a month later, Langli received an e-mail from Harris' office requesting a phone interview. She didn't think it went very well.
Two weeks later, she was offered the internship.
"I was at my house in Berkeley and was kind of having a bad day and I got the e-mail that I got the internship and my eyes popped out of my head," Langli said. "I immediately called my mom. I was jumping around the house. Nobody was home. I was overjoyed. I was shocked but so, so happy."
Langli, who hails from Encinitas in San Diego County, moved back home for the summer and began working in Harris' office. She worked with three other interns.
The majority of the internship consisted of fielding phone calls from constituents on a variety of topics. Langli would enter data into a computer based on the content of the call – for instance, if a voter favored or opposed a certain issue. Some callers expressed vehement support for Harris; others were the opposite.
Langli and the other interns were prohibited to speak on Harris' behalf but could repeat public statements she had made previously or provide information about legislation she had supported.
"I think I was a little surprised at how many people really wanted their voices to be heard and wanted their officials to hear their voices," Langli said. "People talk about how we have such a low voter turnout, but I was taking over 200 calls a day – and all of her other offices were taking way more than that. There are people out there who do care what happens in California and the United States. It's really amazing that in the United States we have a system where citizens' voices can be heard and representatives can make that into policy to make positive change."
Langli received a lot of calls from voters suggesting Harris run for president. "I would tell them I would let the senator know and thank them for their support," Langli said.
While Langli was interested in having some sort of political internship, getting an opportunity with Harris was a bonus. Langli was already a Harris supporter and gained further admiration after watching her serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee's confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh.
"I really liked how she didn't let anyone at any hearing get away with answering in an untruthful way," Langli said. "That's what really attracted me to her views and her moral character. I'm interested in her views and had been a supporter already, so I thought it would be really amazing to have an internship at one of her offices."
Langli said she began taking an interest in politics and government around the fourth grade. While attending high school at the San Dieguito Academy, she took part in the YMCA's Model Legislature & Court program which brings together a cross-section of students from across the state for youth leadership and civic development training. The program culminates with a five-day "takeover" at the state capitol in Sacramento where students engage in a mock legislative session.
While at Cal, Langli has been heavily involved in GBAC (Golden Bear Advisory Committee) and now serves as vice president.
"She really leads by example," said GBAC president Makayla Ward, a junior on Cal's lacrosse team. "I go to her for a lot of advice. She's a great sounding board with great ideas. I can't speak more highly of Karina."
Cal director of student-athlete development Bobby Thompson, who oversees GBAC, said Langli never turns down a task – no matter its significance. He also helped Langli through the quick application process for the internship in Harris' office.
"She showed initiative, confidence and preparation," Thompson said. "When you can combine confidence with preparation, that allows you to learn about an opportunity two days in advance and still put your best foot forward. She loved that challenge. She had the aptitude and ambition to pursue it. Seeing how she navigated that process was very impressive."
During her internship, Langli was able to attend a discussion with government officials and experts examining issues with contaminated water coming up from Mexico to Imperial Beach outside San Diego. She also attended a meeting at San Diego International Airport regarding a terminal renovation and helped plan an appearance Harris made at a naval base.
After each meeting or call with staffers, Langli wrote a recap that was sent to higher-ups in Harris' office.
"It was amazing to be a part of," Langli said. "It was so cool just to see policy develop and those conversations actually happen. I felt I was more prepared for those sort of experiences coming from Berkeley."
"She's set herself up for success," Ward said. "She's overall just a great person and great leader. She's someone you can really look up to as a role model."
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