As a sophomore at Pomona, Chloe Kellison ’23 convinced Professor of Politics Amanda Hollis-Brusky to allow her into her Constitutional Law course, typically reserved for upperclassmen, because she was keenly interested in studying the role of the federal government—especially the executive power of the president.
Three years later, shortly after graduating, Kellison made her way into the West Wing, serving as a press assistant for President Joe Biden for 15 months.
In this “once-in-a-lifetime” role, as she puts it, Kellison worked with three other press assistants to accompany Biden whenever he appeared publicly. She followed the president to everything from Air Force One to press conferences to dinner dates with the First Lady.
“To be with President Biden in the center of it all, to be close to him when I admire him so much, was something I couldn’t have imagined,” says Kellison.
At Pomona, Kellison majored in public policy analysis with a concentration in politics. Arriving from New York City as a first-year student, she knew she wanted to work in government, but her coursework at Pomona solidified that desire and laid the groundwork for her career path.
“What’s amazing about Pomona is you get to work so closely with the professors who help you dive into whatever niche area you’re interested in,” says Kellison.
To pursue her interest in the balance between local, state and federal governments, Kellison worked with Hollis-Brusky on her senior thesis, which examined the struggle between state, local and federal policies pertaining to right-wing attacks on LGBTQ youth.
Kellison also found a mentor in Associate Professor of Philosophy Julie Tannenbaum, taking every course she offered. Philosophy challenged her to consider her own moral principles as well as to think in a more nuanced way, she says.
“To work with professors who not just teach you but change the way you think and how to engage with issues on a deeper level was invaluable,” says Kellison.
When I got to the White House, I was able to engage with issues facing our country on a deep level and think about them in a critical way. Issues are rarely black or white.
While working on her senior thesis, Kellison found herself eager to gain first-hand experience in government. She applied for an internship in the White House press office that year and was accepted for a summer position. From there, she was offered a role as a press assistant.
More commonly known as a press “wrangler,” Kellison oversaw the press pool of reporters, photographers and cameramen that move with the president. Kellison told them where to go and gave updates on what the president was doing. She also worked closely with the press secretary to prepare for press briefings. “I got to see behind the scenes how much goes into press briefings every day,” she says.
Through the experience, Kellison learned she could “function on very few hours of sleep.” “We were all so excited to be there,” she says. “We were running on adrenaline. It was so fun.”
Now that the rush is over, Kellison is contemplating her next steps. She sees herself returning to government work in some capacity in the future.
“I would love to work with a representative who I really align with, hopefully getting to work on one of their policy issues. Maybe reproductive care or gender policy. Those are areas that I’m really interested in.”