Ulaba-Samura’s commitment to advocacy is evident through her leadership roles as president of Quinnipiac's Black Student Union, a Sawhney Leadership Fellow, a Quinnipiac University Enriching Student Transitions (QUEST) student mentor and a Multicultural Living-Learning Community resident assistant.

Now, she’s gaining firsthand experience in legislative processes, public policy and constituent services while interning in Murphy’s Hartford office for the spring semester.

“This opportunity aligns with my passion to make meaningful change, and I’m excited to contribute to Senator Murphy’s mission of advocating for Connecticut and beyond,” said Ulaba-Samura.

The psychology major and political science minor learned about the internship opportunity after meeting up with representatives of Murphy’s office while attending a Quinnipiac career fair.

“I gave them my elevator pitch and asked them what they were looking for in an intern. They were looking for people who wanted to be of public service,” said Ulaba-Samura. “I talked about how I’m from Harlem, New York, and with any work that I do, I would want to help people who come from the backgrounds that I come from. We had a really great conversation.”

Next, Murphy’s office followed up with an invitation to apply for an internship. Sharing more about her Quinnipiac education, leadership roles and other internship experiences clinched Ulaba-Samura’s congressional internship offer.

Her internship began on January 6. Given the new U.S. presidential administration and current political climate, Ulaba-Samura said she is quickly gaining insight into how the greater Connecticut community is feeling about the nation. Some of her work involves helping to field phone calls. The majority of those calling are expressing concern about policies and changes being proposed and implemented by the new administration.

“We’re getting hundreds of calls from people all over, from inside and outside Connecticut, who want to let Senator Murphy know how nervous they are about this new administration. And obviously, Senator Murphy has been very vocal about his views on this administration and has been presenting himself as a voice for the opposition party,” said Ulaba-Samura.

She said it’s exciting to be a voice who can let people know that Murphy is working to address their concerns.

“I’m just so grateful to be able to field those questions, and I’m really happy I get to work for someone who speaks out about what he believes is right,” said Ulaba-Samura.

She also enjoys the opportunity to meet and speak with constituents while assisting the senator’s office with different events.

“We had a veterans’ coffee house where I spoke with veterans about their experiences, and people who are part of Senator Murphy’s team worked with them on legislation for veterans’ benefits,” said Ulaba-Samura. “The staff members were showing us the importance of diction and how smallest word can completely change what the legislation means. The things that they were able to catch were so interesting to see. It was a cool experience.”

Ulaba-Samura said she is looking forward to sharpening her advocacy skills during an upcoming affordable housing symposium examining Connecticut’s housing affordability income gap. Ulaba-Samura also recently attended a town hall forum hosted by Murphy in Connecticut, where she had the chance to speak with constituents and hear the senator's discussion.

“I’ve gotten some really good hands-on experience so far,” said Ulaba-Samura, who will complete the internship in May.

Ulaba-Samura is currently balancing school with interning twice a week in Murphy’s Hartford office. She’s also using this opportunity to talk about her experiences with her fellow Bobcats.

“I share all the time the importance of getting your voice out, especially at a time like this. Before this internship, I never thought of calling my senator or representatives about anything. Now, I see how people are being heard,” said Ulaba-Samura.

As president of the Black Student Union, Ulaba-Samura said she knows a lot of students have been feeling disheartened since the results of the November 2024 national election.

“With this internship, I’m getting to see that people are still voicing their opinions, even though we’re in an administration where not everyone feels like they can, and I know there are people out there who are seeing how they can help and are still motivated in their pursuit for justice. I get to pass that along to other students and my board members and classes,” Ulaba-Samura said.

After earning her degree, Ulaba-Samura said she hopes to become involved in campaign management.

“With this experience, I’m hearing what people want from the senator and don’t want from the senator, and I’m getting to do projects where I see what people in Connecticut need. Getting that feedback is going to be very helpful in helping candidates with their campaigns,” said Ulaba-Samura. “Knowing what people want is so important, because at the end of the day, politicians are public servants, and what your community wants is going to be the most important thing when running a campaign. I’m really happy to be getting that experience.”

She also hopes pursuing this internship experience will inspire other Bobcats not to hesitate to achieve their goals.

“Remember that the worst that people can tell you is ‘no.’ I was not expecting to get this position, not because of my background or academics, but because I thought they were prioritizing people who are from Connecticut and political science majors. But I took the chance anyway, and it worked out for me. So put yourself out there,” said Ulaba-Samura.