Behind-the-Scenes: Interning at AISI

This summer, AISI welcomed Alex Amado, a rising senior at Purdue University, for an internship with the communication and public policy teams. Alex shares his thoughts on the experience. If you are a college student looking for an internship, click here for more information.  

Hello, my name is Alex Amado, and I am a rising senior at Purdue University, double majoring in Political Science and Law and Society. This summer, I was a public policy and communications intern at AISI through the “Boilers Go To DC Summer Scholars program, part of Purdue’s Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement (CCSE). 

Most interns ease into their roles—but that was not the case for me at AISI. During my very first week, I jumped right into AISI’s largest event of the year: their annual General Meeting. While I had very little time to adjust, looking back, I would not have wanted it any other way. Being thrown into such a major event allowed me to get acclimated quickly, hit the ground running and start learning immediately. 

Before this summer, my knowledge of the steel industry was limited. However, attending the AISI general meeting gave me a broad overview of the industry, AISI’s work, and its vital role in supporting the domestic steel industry. I had the opportunity to observe committee meetings, listen to speakers discussing key issues facing the industry and network with professionals from various companies from around the country. 

During the General Meeting, I attended the sustainability and strategic communications council committee meetings, which discussed a wide range of topics—from current government priorities to sustainability efforts within the steel sector. Although at times I felt overwhelmed, I left each meeting with a much deeper and more comprehensive understanding of how far-reaching and complex the steel industry truly is. From sustainability issues to construction projects, I realized there is far more to the steel industry than I ever expected. 

After the General Meeting, I started working with the communications team on digital media projects that have given me a better sense of how AISI handles its messaging and outreach. I analyzed the daily media reports to track media coverage of the steel industry, reviewed AISI’s websites, organized data for the associate members and assisted with meeting preparations. Even though these might seem like smaller projects, they have all helped me see how much goes behind the scenes to keep members informed, make sure information stays up-to-date and support AISI’s bigger policy and advocacy efforts. 

I also had the opportunity to go to Capitol Hill with the public policy team to lobby for legislation, particularly regarding Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act. This bill aims to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws to crack down on unfair trade practices — including addressing the growing problem of cross-border subsidization where foreign governments subsidize industries, like steel, not only in their own countries but in other countries as well. Besides Capitol Hill visits, I was able to learn about House floor procedure by watching the passage of the recent reconciliation bill.  

Along with my day-to-day responsibilities, I was fortunate enough to attend events outside of the office. In late July, I heard Kevin Dempsey, AISI president and CEO, speak at a roundtable discussion hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the American Petroleum Institute. This event focused on the environment and enhancing the efficiency of industries in reducing GHG emissions through trade policy. I also attended an intern lunch at the Climate Leadership Council (CLC), an organization that champions climate-related solutions. During the event, I had the opportunity to learn more about think tanks, meet CLC employees and most importantly, connect with other interns in the public policy advocacy space.  

I am thrilled to have spent this summer in Washington, D.C., and I am confident that I will leave this internship with far more than I came in with. I cannot wait to continue learning and see where this experience leads me.