Erin Gilbert '02
Name: Erin Gilbert
Graduation Year: 2002
Original Hometown: Ahwahnee, California
Major/Minor: Politics/Business Administration
Job Title: Legislative Advocate/Lobbyist
What is your job description? I advocate on behalf of our clients before the state legislature and administration.
Why did you originally choose Saint Mary’s? ; I grew up in a very small town and felt that a small personal college like Saint Mary’s would be the best fit for me. The small class sizes, how you know everyone, and the one-on-one time with your professors all enabled me to have a successful and positive college experience. The reputation and academic excellence that Saint Mary’s has is second to none. I was impressed with the professors and how I was a person to them and not just a number. Saint Mary’s is a gorgeous campus and I felt honored that Saint Mary’s chose me as well as the fact that I chose Saint Mary’s.
What was the best part about your college experience? I absolutely loved my time at Saint Mary’s – it was better than I could have imagined. To this day I remain very close friends with several of my roommates. Often times we still laugh about many of our memories, talk about our classes and professors, and fondly recall our four years at SMC. There are two days that stick out in my mind when I think about Saint Mary’s. During my first day of class my freshman year, my first class on Monday morning at 8am was Greek Thought Seminar. I will always love that day as it really was the first day of the rest of my life. The other day that sticks in my mind is the day after graduation and I packed my car and left. Driving out of campus, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the statue of Saint Baptist De La Salle and the church and started to cry, knowing I was prepared for my future and yet not quite ready to jump into the real world. Between those two days I have so many great memories of SMC – from seminar class to Sunday night masses and my January Term trips, to Death Valley and Washington DC to just hanging out with my friends. Nothing compares to my four years at SMC.
How did you enter the field you have chosen? While I was at Saint Mary’s I did three summer internships with a Congressional office, an Assembly office, and a lobbying firm. I also worked at two law firms while I was a student. During my very first politics class at SMC I knew I was hooked. I remained hesitant about majoring in politics as my parents were worried that I would never find a job with a politics degree. Instead, they encouraged me to major in something “solid” like business or accounting. However, I took the leap of faith and knew that I should major in something that I really enjoyed doing and learning about. So I majored in politics and minored in business administration.
Since graduating from Saint Mary’s I worked for the Assembly Republican Caucus. I was then promoted to work for an Assemblyman in the Capitol while attending night school to get a Master’s Degree in Political Science. For the last three years I have been working for a contract-lobbying firm and have been promoted from a legislative analyst to a legislative advocate/lobbyist. I plan on continuing in this field for sometime, but my dream job is to be a college professor and teach politics.
How might Saint Mary’s have given you the concrete skills necessary to become successful in your career? Simply put, I would not be where I am today without Saint Mary’s. I use every skill I learned in seminar every day in my work life. In seminar we learned to read the great works, interpret the meaning of the books, and then argue different points from the reading. Every day I read new bills or laws that are proposed by the legislature; I interpret how they may effect our clients, determine any unintended consequences of the bill, and then either argue for or against the bill in a legislative committee before senators/assembly members. Without four semesters of seminar I don’t think that I would be as successful in my career. The ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with others is a vital tool in the business world, and in politics, and I learned this skill at Saint Mary’s through the seminar program. I owe a lot to Saint Mary’s.
What is your advice to students about to enter college? Enjoy every minute - it goes by so quickly!! There will be ups and downs and tears and joy, so live in the moment and enjoy it. Make the most out of the four years. Get involved with the college whether through student government, athletics, clubs, or writing for the school newspaper – you will never regret the things you do, but rather the things you didn’t do.
