As an ISPP Scholar, Sami Pierce is appointed with the Congressional Office of Representative Nikki Budzinski. Their work is significant as they are conducting research and developing informational sheets as the Representative tours her district as well as supporting other efforts. They also are working to continue to share their knowledge and passion for educating communities on the opioid crisis here in Illinois. Sami shared some thoughts with me about their role in the ISP program so far.

Why did you apply for the Illini Science Policy Program?

I applied for ISPP because I have always had a passion for public service, community engagement, and research and when I read the description of the program, I thought that it was the perfect opportunity for me to apply the information I have gained through my education and previous work experience through new avenues. 

Tell us a bit about what you hope to accomplish as a result of being a 2024 Scholar.

I hope to accomplish many things during my year as an ISPP scholar, I want to engage with the community I serve and gain a better understanding of multifaceted issues they are faced with and help to develop solutions. I have already been able to do this through both my work with my host agency and extension mentor. 

Tell us a bit about what you are working on for your host agency.

I have been working on a variety of project with my host agency, from developing one-pagers for each county in Illinois’s 13th congressional district and collating the congresswoman Budzinski’s involvement with different issue topics in the district to attending events and meetings. I have also been engaged in normal office workflow which has been enlightening to the scope of work congressional offices do and the way constituents interact and communicate with them.

Tell us a bit about what you are working with your Extension Mentor (or what you will be doing)?

I am very excited for my project with my extension mentor, I will be working on an insert for the Integrated Health Disparities’ Health Equity Resource and Outreach Extension Supporters (HEROS) program that focuses on opioid use disorder. My closure project for my master’s degree focused on policy options in Illinois to address the opioid crisis in rural regions, so it is great to be able to continue utilizing my prior research and expand it to educate communities in Illinois. This project will include three, one-hour-long lectures focusing on context and background of the opioid crisis, stigma reduction through narratives, and resources and intervention to support positive health outcomes. 

What does being in public service mean to you?

Being in public service to me means using the knowledge, education, and experience I have and listening to the needs and experiences of others to work with them and other experts and resources to create sustainable and adaptable solutions.

What makes the work you are doing as an ISPP Scholar meaningful to you? (Please specify between you host agency work and your Extension mentor project)

I think the work I am doing with my host agency is meaningful because I get to meet and talk with people in my district who feel confident in my and my coworker’s ability to improve whatever issue they are approaching us with. My extension project is meaningful to me because I love doing research and educating others about a topic I am so interested in and passionate about will be able to positively impact others especially with a very stigmatized topic like opioid use. 

What is one thing that you have learned since becoming an ISPP Scholar that has made an impression on your transition from graduate student to career individual?

I think one thing that has made an impression on me is how passionate people are about the work they are doing and the humility they have. In grad school I studied public administration, so of course I was surrounded by peers who were passionate about public service and professors who have dedicated their careers to teaching best practices in public services, so I was a little worried going into the field I would be disillusioned but have found the opposite to be true. I continue to be inspired by the passion of those around me. 

Why is/are the issue(s) important to the communities with which you are working?

This is very difficult to answer, because almost any issue you could think of is important to the communities I work with. So many problems facing communities from food access to infrastructure failure to lack of healthcare access are an amalgamation of multiple social and policy failures that can be approached from many different angles and have similar roots. I would say agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, labor rights, workforce development, and veterans are where a lot of our focus is, but again there is a lot of overlap between all of these. 

Who is impacted by the issue(s) you are working on?

 Truly everyone is impacted by these issues in some way, especially people in district 13, but we work with offices of other elected officials and the legislation being sponsored by the congresswoman to address important issues in the district will impact people throughout other regions of the state and the country. 

What is the most unexpected thing about this program so far?

Something that was unexpected for me was how willing people from across the political aisle are to work together, things can seem so divided and contemptuous in the media, but we have worked with people who identify with different political parties both constituents and elected officials and have had great outcomes. 

If you could do one thing through this program and think “Wow, I did that,” what would you like it to be?

The extension project I am working on, it is coming together so well and knowing I will be able to gather survey data to know what impact it will have on the people who utilize it will be great since it will translate to decreasing stigma and improving health outcomes and social well-being for people with substance use disorders and their loved ones. 

More information about the Illini Science Policy Program is available on our website. Keep reading to learn more about Sami's colleagues in the of 2025 ISPP Scholar Class.