Torch, Spring/Summer 2008

That led him to go a step further, and he began considering an internship in the office of then- U.S. Senator Rick Santorum. Though nervous and intimidated at the prospect, Shiraki applied ... all the while praying that, if accepted, God would use the experience to show him if it was the direction He wanted him to head in. Needless to say, he got the summer internship, staying with his aunt in Philadelphia while working 30 hours a week in Santorum’s office. The experience was, as he had hoped, eye-opening. “I got to see how the office worked,” Shiraki said. “I enjoyed the process — witnessing what public service was all about: helping constituents. It really validated my going in this direction.” When he returned to Cedarville for his senior year, Shiraki entered another political internship, this time with U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, who had a district office just 15 minutes away. Having now interned at two senate offices back to back, he knew D.C. was the place for him. So, what’s an ambitious, politically minded student to do but apply for an internship at the White House? With the help of Cedarville’s Career Services office and several Cedarville graduates who had served as White House interns, Shiraki spent the summer of 2006 working in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs for Ruben Barrales, the president’s liaison to state and local officials. “The time went by really quickly,” he said, “but it was a fascinating experience — the greatest I’d ever had, up till then. To be able to walk down the halls of the White House and see what I saw was amazing.” Of course, Shiraki was now a University graduate and in need of a job. Fortunately, his fellow staff members were so impressed by him that they encouraged him to apply for a staff position. As a result, that September he started working in the Office of Presidential Correspondence. He recalled, “One day, you’re wondering what you’re going to do; the next day you land the job. Having the chance to work in the White House was pretty phenomenal.” It would turn out to be the first of several government jobs. And from the beginning, Shiraki questioned his capability. “I was nervous about not knowing enough,” he said. “I felt inadequate. But I also knew I had a good grasp of the issues … I was organized and worked well under pressure.” Being organized turned out to be a key factor in his work. In such a fast-paced environment — with important projects coming at him from all directions — Shiraki had to be able to handle a lot of details quickly and efficiently. It turned out to be one of his strengths and yet another way in which Cedarville prepared him for a career. “I actually think I was busier at Cedarville than I was at the White House,” he said with a laugh. “It helped me learn to manage my time well and stay cool under pressure.” After four months in correspondence, Shiraki was offered a job in the Office of Strategic Initiatives, an operation created by former presidential advisor Karl Rove and former chief of staff Andrew Card. The office focuses on historical research and long-term Matt Shiraki poses for a photo while the president’s transport, Marine 1, takes off in the background. 28 TORCH