This summer, Honors student and Philosophy major Jehovahnie Saint Rose ’22 is getting a firsthand view at Pfizer’s commitment to ingenuity and compassion. The pharmaceutical giant, which became a household name because of its life-saving Covid-19 vaccine, offered Saint Rose an exciting government litigation internship, where she’s engaging with attorneys general from across the country, learning about the legal profession from a corporate perspective, and gaining valuable professional experience. “Getting the chance to intern at Pfizer, a company that is at the forefront of helping protect so many against the Covid-19 virus, is really thrilling,” says Saint Rose, who dreams of becoming a lawyer one day. “The work they’re doing is inspiring, but what I’m really enjoying and find encouraging is how caring Pfizer is when it comes to its employees. They build your confidence; they make you see your potential; and they validate your efforts. I’m grateful for my internship at Pfizer because it’s such an empowering experience.” We caught up with Saint Rose to learn more about her internship.

Finding the Internship
For Saint Rose, who immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. when she was seven years old, the opportunity to learn from experts at a top company like Pfizer feels like a dream come true. “I’m from a super small, quiet town in Haiti, so coming to America and having the opportunity to get an education at John Jay and gain valuable work experience, like this one at Pfizer, mean a lot to me. It feels like a blessing from God,” says Saint Rose, who credits Charles Davidson, Ph.D., Director of John Jay’s Pre-Law Institute for the opportunity. “Dr. Davidson knows of my dream of becoming a lawyer and suggested that I apply for the internship at Pfizer. He knew I wanted to diversify my professional work experience, especially in the legal profession, and felt that the opportunity was exactly what I was looking for,” says Saint Rose, adding that she jumped at the chance to apply. “The internship really excited me because I knew the company would provide me with a new perspective on what my own future legal career could look like. Through this Pfizer opportunity, I was able to see the profession from the corporate side of things.”

Interning at Pfizer
As a Government Litigation intern at Pfizer, Saint Rose’s job duties vary in nature, from collecting and inputting data, to conducting research and working on team projects. “As an intern, I’m learning a lot about the importance of research and teamwork. I’ve had the opportunity to interact and collaborate with so many people, from my peers, to lawyers, to my mentors at the company. I even interacted with the CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, who was such an amazing, cool, and down to earth guy,” she says. It’s Pfizer’s emphasis on collaborative work and engagement with others that came as a big, but welcomed, surprise to Saint Rose. “I think there’s this image we have of what a corporate company looks like, feels like, and acts like, and Pfizer completely turns that on its head. Pfizer is so much more than a pharmaceutical company. It’s a company that truly cares for its employees.”

One area that really stands out to Saint Rose is Pfizer’s emphasis on their employees’ well-being. “They are very big on maintaining a healthy work-life balance and mental health is very important to them—which is really refreshing,” she says, adding that program manager John Blakey, mentor Lynne Ross, and Assistant General Counsel and John Jay alumnus Markus Green ’95, regularly check in to make sure she’s doing well. “Coming into Pfizer, it was intimidating at first, but I was quickly put at ease after speaking with John, Lynne, and Markus. Almost weekly, they each reach out to me to see how I'm doing and how the work is progressing. They always provide me with guidance and advice, and make sure I’m feeling good about myself. That level of care and support makes you want to be there and work harder. You know these people care about you, that they’re cheering you on. It’s comforting and incredibly rewarding.”

Speaking with Attorneys General
The internship is also giving Saint Rose the opportunity to hear from some of the world’s top legal minds. As an intern, she’s helping put together the Attorney General Alliance-Africa newsletter, where she’s able to interview and write about attorneys general, like Vermont Attorney General Thomas J. Donavan Jr.; and she’s sitting in on thought-provoking panel discussions, learning from attorneys general from across the country. “So far, one of my favorite days at Pfizer was a panel discussion where the attorney general from Washington, D.C. spoke with us,” recalls Saint Rose. “For me, it was such a powerful and moving day. Attorney General Karl Racine, who is Haitian-American, told us his story, how he came to the legal profession and his road to becoming an Attorney General, and then he started to ask us about ourselves.”

When it was her turn to speak, Saint Rose told him about her anxiety and how overwhelmed she felt about the process of getting into law school, writing her personal statement, and scoring well on the LSAT—at the time, she had just scored poorly on a practice exam. “He said, ‘There’s no need to rush. If you need a break, take a break. If you need more time, take it. Law school will always be there.’ That provided me with so much comfort because it reminded me that it was okay to pause,” says Saint Rose, who did better on the following practice exam. “Being an immigrant, I’ve always worked non-stop because I was afraid if I didn’t keep working my goals would slip away. But Attorney General Racine’s words reassured me that the goals and opportunities would still be there and that with a well-rested mind and soul, I would achieve my goals in no time.”

Making an Impact
While she's only been an intern at Pfizer for two months, Saint Rose can already feel the deep impact the internship will have on her life going forward. She’s gained valuable skills that will set her up for career success, found that mental health is valued, and learned the importance of teamwork. “Interning at Pfizer changed my perspective on what working at a corporate company can be like and what it can accomplish. Before interning at Pfizer, my goal was to be a criminal defense attorney because I wanted to help my community and felt that was the only way I could help. Now, I realize that I can have a much bigger impact working as a lawyer in a corporate company and working with other partners. My dream is to have my own law firm one day, a firm focused on holistic forms of advocacy and support. I want to be able to provide clients with resources, not just when it comes to the law but also health, financial literacy, and education so we can really reduce recidivism rates and have a real and positive impact.”

Reflecting on her internship at Pfizer, Saint Rose can’t help but feel appreciative of all the knowledge and insight she’s gained. “This Pfizer internship has given me so much. It’s affirmed my goal of wanting to practice law, it’s made me confident in who I am, and it’s revealed to me how capable I am and how strong my abilities are,” says Saint Rose. “Because of my Pfizer internship I know that when it comes to my goals for the future, the sky’s the limit. Whatever I want to achieve is completely possible—for all of that and more, I’m so thankful.”