Campus Life
Inside Northeastern
Kyisha Brooks
Political science major; minor in business administration; certificate in finance
On the NU co-op experience
A notion that started when a high-school teacher suggested she consider a career in politics took shape for Kyisha Brooks here at Northeastern. Through co-ops at the U.S. Senate, for the Massachusetts secretary of state, and the U.S. Department of Labor, she gained government experience highly unusual for undergraduates at other universities.
“Professor [Michael] Dukakis is a big advocate for working in government because it’s a different learning curve from class,” says Kyisha of the support she received from the political science department. “And while I was in D.C., my professors kept in touch with me.” Kyisha worked for the chief of staff in Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s office. In the process, she met leaders such as Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who took the time to talk with her about the advantages of serving in the House. “Meeting and working with this country’s leaders was amazing,” she says. Kyisha pursued dual master’s degrees in international relations and diplomacy/public administration at Seton Hall, while working as a paralegal, and looking ahead to a career in international politics.
