Alumni Interview: Lucia Rodriguez Bai
After graduating with a BA in Politics and International Relations, Lucia went on to work as an intern for Rachel Reeves MP. In this alumni interview, Lucia talks about how Queen Mary inspired her to think differently, and to bring this knowledge into her professional career development.
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What did you study, and what was your favourite thing about being at Queen Mary?
I graduated from Queen Mary in 2023 with a BA in Politics and International Relations (with a Year Abroad). Looking back, two things stand out: the range of perspectives we were taught, and the professional opportunities I found both within the university and beyond it. In a discipline as broad and as consequential as politics, what you are taught shapes how you see the world and, ultimately, how you act within it.
What kinds of skills did Queen Mary impart on you that you were able to use to find your career path?
Queen Mary was very good at showing us that things do not have to be the way they are, and that change is possible. Just as valuable were the faculty I met along the way, some of whom I did research assistantships for and whose support I can still count on today.
What kind of job are you currently doing, and what kinds of thing did you do to get the job?
After graduating, I joined the office of Rachel Reeves MP, then Shadow Chancellor, as an intern. My interest in working in Parliament began with the Parliamentary Studies module and placement I took in my final year at Queen Mary, which gave me my first real sense of how Westminster works day to day. When my internship ended, I became Ms Reeves' campaign aide during the 2024 General Election. After she was re-elected, I was promoted to Parliamentary Assistant and supported her in her new role as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
I have since stepped away from that role to pursue a dual Master of Public Administration at the London School of Economics and Columbia University, where I am focusing on technology policy and innovation. This summer, I also interned at Ferrovial Digital Infrastructure in Madrid, working on community impact strategy for its data centre campuses.