Few people can say their first full-time job was in the White House.
However, through hard work and the “grace of God,” Marymount University alumna Joetta Appiah ‘24 landed a coveted role as a communications assistant in the Office of the Vice President of the United States.
“Never in a million years would I have thought I would end up where I am, working on such a high-profile team,” she said. “It’s just been the most surreal experience.”
Appiah was new to the working world and life in the U.S. Although born in the Bronx, she moved to Ghana with her family at a young age. She returned to the U.S. in 2020 and began exploring collegiate political science programs.
“The first two years, I was just learning how to operate in college and America. I came to the U.S. expecting the crazy college party experience we see in the movies, but Marymount was very grounding for me. My professors stressed the importance of setting goals and building career skills. That was the wake-up call I needed to start thinking seriously about my future.”
Appiah’s road to the White House began her junior year when she landed her first internship with the Enterprise Applications Division of the Office of Administration for President Biden. The following year, she was eager to apply for an internship with the Office of the Vice President.
“I had never considered communications as a career,” she explained. “I had taken a few communications classes at Marymount but had always focused more on working in policy. When the internship with the Vice President’s Office opened up, I knew I had to apply. I thought it would be an honor to work for the first female and first woman of color Vice President in American history, so I jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t think I’d get the internship, but I told myself it was worth a shot!”
Appiah worked on Vice President Harris’s communications team for four months as an intern. Shortly before graduation, she was invited to stay as a full-time communications assistant and later expanded her responsibilities as a press assistant. Her current role focuses on coordinating internal and external communications for the Vice President’s Office, including press logistics, coordinating the press pool and engaging with media outlets nationwide.
“It’s a very high-stakes environment,” Appiah reflected. “This being my first real job, I felt I didn’t have room to make mistakes. I was thrown into one of the greatest but also one of the most fast-paced jobs in the world, which was a lot of pressure, but my bosses and coworkers helped me put my best foot forward and taught me how to learn from my mistakes and turn them into meaningful lessons.”
Highlights from her tenure include traveling on Air Force Two and having personal conversations with the President and Vice President. Her most memorable moment was bringing her family to the White House.
“Taking my family on a personal tour through the East and West Wings and bringing my sister to meet Vice President Harris was such an amazing experience,” Appiah said. “Growing up in Ghana, we never thought we would have these opportunities. Creating such a special experience for my family was very emotional and honestly mind-boggling.”
Appiah also used her role to give back to the Marymount community. She hosted a student internship workshop at the White House in collaboration with the Marymount student-led Vision Vanguard Network. During the event, Marymount and George Mason University students attended presentations by White House employees and were connected with internship and job resources.
As the Biden-Harris administration comes to a close, Appiah is taking time to reflect on her experiences over the past year.
“I don’t think there will ever be a job quite like this one,” she said. “I had so many amazing experiences and learned so much personally and professionally. This was the greatest opportunity I could ever ask for and I don’t think anything will quite compare. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people and opportunities I encountered at Marymount, and for that I am grateful!”
