As a public administration major, former senator for the George Mason University Student Government, Mathnasium instructor, and former intern at Senator Tim Kaine’s office, Joseph Fernando has been keeping busy. The junior from Falls Church, Va., is passionate about using the tools of government to enact meaningful change in the lives of Americans.
“When I was a freshman, my passion was public service, but I never thought it could be a career,” he said. Today as a junior, Fernando will tell you how wrong he was. The Schar School of Policy and Government undergraduate student has found his niche working in the public sector.
While serving as a senator for Mason’s student government, he “learned the value of ‘followership.’ I learn from following others, and by that, I mean I listen to students and then lead from there.”
He has used the knowledge he gained from talking to students to assist in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan for the City of Fairfax, Virginia. Fernando spoke to the city council and Mayor David Meyer to express student needs such as “more affordable housing to address the issue of homelessness among the student population and showing campus diversity through the art center,” Fernando said.
Mayor Meyer praised Fernando and confessed this was the first time in history there has been a Mason student representative speaking on behalf of the student body at a city council meeting.
Fernando gained firsthand experience with policy research, constituent services, and attending committee meetings, when working for Kaine, a Democrat representing Virginia.
Addressing the importance of government in these times of global political upheaval, Fernando said, “Despite the fact that we have a polarizing social and political climate, there needs to be a moral courage to take a stance on issues that lead to change.” (Fernando resigned from the Student Senate in March with five other representatives.)
When asked about fears of being dismissed as a public servant, Fernando replied, “I don’t need to be recognized. Knowing that people are gaining from positive change is what matters to me.
“People can overcome anything if they have the tenacity and persistence to pursue what they truly believe,” he said. “I have seen many personal brick walls, and had I stood still, I would not be where I am today.”
Fernando hopes to intern for Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) in the fall of 2019. After his graduation in May 2020, he plans to continue his career on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant.