After talking his way into UCI political science associate professor Matt Beckmann’s upper division “Writing for POTUS” course, triple major Steven Gong has put every lesson he’s learned to use, first as an intern for the Office of the First Lady, then through his California Health Advocacy Network non-profit work, and on to his impassioned applications for prestigious Marshall and Rhodes scholarships, for which he’s been listed as a dual finalist.
“Every day at the White House is one to be cherished, and every day in Professor Beckmann’s class is one that I’m grateful for,” says Gong.
Writing for POTUS … and FLOTUS
Steven Gong, pictured here with Jill Biden, spent the fall quarter as a health and life science policy intern for the Office of the First Lady.
Courtesy of Steven Gong.
The senior major in political science, economics, and human biology spent fall quarter as a health and life science policy intern for the Office of the First Lady. The quarter before Gong learned about this internship where he’d draft speeches and other forms of communication, he took Beckmann’s “Writing for POTUS” course. In the class, Gong learned how to draft speeches, memos (“The White House runs on memos.”) and write in a concise and moving style. But his participation in the course that proved instrumental for his role at the White House almost didn’t occur.
Beckmann’s upper division writing seminar enrollment was limited to students he knew could stand up to the rigors of the class. Since the course was in high demand and Gong had never taken a class from Beckmann before, Gong was not admitted.
After he was declined, Gong followed-up – not once, but twice – to see if he could change Beckmann’s mind. First, he wrote an email expressing his interest, and when that didn’t work, he showed up in-person for office hours to see if Beckmann could be persuaded.
In their 20-minute conversation, it was obvious to Beckmann that Gong was interesting, smart, curious, and willing to work hard.
“Indeed, more than his incredible grades and extraordinary talents, it was his intellectual style that really struck me. Steven blew me away,” says Beckmann.
Suffice it to say, Gong was able to enroll, and “I’m so glad I did,” he says. “Being in the White House felt really surreal,” he says. “Every day I entered the East Wing and passed a plaque saying, ‘ERECTED AFTER THE DECLARATION OF WAR, 1942,’ it hit me that I was standing where presidents and administrations have made history.”
Marshall and Rhodes
In addition to his prestigious internship, Gong recently added to his list of honors and awards when he received notice that he’s a finalist for both the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships. The honors are two of the most prestigious scholarships an American undergraduate can receive and offer two to three years of fully funded study in the U.K. For Gong, just to be a finalist is an honor.
“I have only and rarely encouraged students to apply for the Marshall Scholarship when I truly felt they would harness such an extraordinary opportunity. Steven is one of those,” Beckmann says.
Not just professionally
The overarching theme of Gong’s academic and professional pursuits is health equity and his reasons are personal. When he was in middle school, a close friend, who was like a brother, passed away from cancer. Sometime after his grief settled, Gong realized how short life really is. When he was in high school, Gong’s grandmother had a stroke while in China. While she was able to receive the medical care she needed, the cost put a financial strain on his family. In addition, Gong’s parents left for China to care for his grandmother, leaving him at home to take care of his younger brother.
“I’ve asked myself, if I died tomorrow, would I have any regrets. This motivates me every day. I don’t just mean professionally. I want to be deliberate about living my best life,” he says.
When it came time to pursue college and a career interest, Gong drew from these experiences and his lifelong interest in medicine (both parents are nurses and he’s spent many hours working and volunteering in hospitals).
“I’ve seen how there are deep rooted issues that medicine can’t solve,” he says.
It is from these life lessons that Gong has found his calling.
Because of them
In the short term, Gong will apply to medical school and continue working on California Health Advocacy Network, a non-profit organization he founded that supports health reform advocacy and community health coverage. He’s already raised more than $27,000 for health policy and community insurance coverage efforts. He also hopes to visit his family in China and travel around Asia and Europe. In the long term, he’d like to specialize in emergency medicine and work on health care policy on the side.
“I’ve seen where medicine has its limits and I want to advocate for patients who don’t have resources,” he says.
His ideal work week would be to spend three to four days working as a doctor and the rest focused on improving systemic health care issues, be it advising the White House or otherwise.
Wherever Gong ends up, he’s grateful for his years spent at UCI. He’s thankful for the friends he’s made and for the opportunities he’s received.
“There are so many talented and hardworking people who come to UCI. I’m lucky to spend time with a diverse group of students and to have learned from their perspectives. I’m a more holistic person because of them. Academically, there’s nothing better I could have asked for in Professor Beckmann’s class. And all the research and political opportunities I received have enabled me to be where I am today,” he says.
Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UCI. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UCI seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The School of Social Sciences plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more by visiting https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/uci-school-of-social-sciences/.