Senior starts work for Harris 2020 presidential campaign


Senior Rachel Chiu is finishing her degree remotely to work on Sen. Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign in Baltimore. (Photo courtesy of Rachel Chiu)

Senior Rachel Chiu is making the most out of her four years studying political science. Since February, Chiu has been working as the assistant to the campaign manager for Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential run in Baltimore.

Chiu, who is majoring in political science and communication, will be finishing her degree remotely and will graduate in May.

She described her team as “small, scrappy and hardworking.” As assistant to the campaign manager, Chiu’s job mainly consists of administrative tasks to make campaign manager Juan Rodriguez’s job simpler.

“If it means that [Rodriguez] needs to have the right briefings in his hand before he’s going to a meeting, that’s what I’m doing,” Chiu said. “If he needs me to pull together a senior staff meeting, that’s what I’m doing. If he needs to talk to someone that’s very important that’s outside of our campaign but very important in the political space, I’m coordinating those meetings.”

Chiu previously served as a campaign intern for Harris’ 2016 Senate campaign and an intern at SCRB Strategies, a consulting firm which has helped run numerous California campaigns,  including that of Harris.

Chiu said these experiences paved the way for her current position. She said she was approached about her current position by people she had previously met while working alongside Harris’ campaign.

“In some ways, I definitely feel extremely blessed and lucky to have [this position] because it kind of landed in my lap,” Chiu said. “But in other ways, it’s also been the culmination of years of commitment and working with the same people and demonstrating that I am willing to do the work and willing put in the effort, and that’s partly why I was given the job.”

Chiu said she has enjoyed working on the campaign because Harris is down-to-earth and personable. Chiu recalled a time the team was bantering about their favorite musical artists with the senator the day before her campaign launch in Oakland.

“I just remember the day before [the launch] thinking to myself, ‘This is amazing,’” Chiu said. “We’re going to elect this woman to be the next president, and she’s talking about the rapper she likes.”

Chiu said her parents’ stories of immigrating to the United States strongly influences her work. Her father immigrated from Hong Kong to attend school and her mother immigrated from Vietnam to escape from Communist rule. After arriving, Chiu’s parents struggled to adapt to a new language and culture but eventually found success in achieving the American Dream in a way that Chiu said has greatly shaped her as a person.

“I know it makes them immensely proud to know that after their struggle adapting to a new life here, that they have a daughter who’s working to elect the new president,” Chiu said. “I think about that a lot, and that very much informs the way I do everything.”

Chiu said her interest in politics began in high school because of the great teachers and mentors that she had.  Her interest in politics and law deepened as she secured other internships in the field.

Chiu said she feels blessed every day to be serving in her position, but remains uncertain about her future plans.

“I’m very open to the things that will happen, but what I will say is that really look forward to hopefully living in a world where the President of the United States is Kamala Harris,” Chiu said. “That would be great.”  

Dan Schnur, an adjunct professor at the Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism, who has taught Chiu, said he is proud of her capabilities as a student and political advocate.

“It was clear to me from the very beginning that [Chiu] would go on to accomplish tremendous things in politics and public service after she graduated,” Schnur said. “I get to work with a lot of very smart students at USC, but it’s very rare to find someone who’s that smart, that hardworking and with the type of political communication skills that Rachel possesses.”

Center for the Political Future Director Bob Shrum said he believes Chiu is doing well in her role with Harris’ campaign.

“[Chiu] is an outstanding student who’s deeply interested in politics,” Shrum said. “The Harris campaign is lucky to have her, and she’ll make a real difference.”