MP&F recently welcomed Conexión Américas intern Arturo Prieto for a nearly monthlong internship. Arturo, a rising sophomore at Trevecca Nazarene University studying political science and business, previously interned with District 31 Metro Nashville Councilman Fabian Bedne and at Hola Tennessee.

Wanting to hone his professional communication skills during his time at MP&F, Arturo played an important role on several client teams, from helping out with live social media postings to event management and distributing materials.

We asked Arturo a few questions about himself that we thought our Engage readers may be interested in.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that others may not know.

One interesting thing about myself that others may not know is the story of meeting President Barack Obama. The story began the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, when my family decided to take a vacation to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Coincidentally, the president was in Sandusky at that time as well. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see him as we were on a tight schedule. I thought to myself that would be my only chance of being up close with the president. Well, shortly afterward, I came back and started my senior year in high school. It was during this time that I found out he was coming to Nashville, and to my surprise, I received an invitation to meet him one on one. I was honored to be chosen, which I was told was because of my leadership and the many ways I was involved within the community.

What do you hope to get from your internships?

I hope to get new skills and knowledge that will prepare me further along the road of my career. I also hope to make new friendships and connections along the way. And of course, I would always appreciate feedback from the place I intern.

What about politics do you enjoy?

There are several things I enjoy about politics. One of them is the idea of meeting leaders of the community. I believe politics brings out the best of us, and allows us to be heard and demonstrate real leadership in times of need. I am also fascinated by how complex the political system is and how compromise can emerge out of deep-rooted disagreement.

At this stage in your life, what do you hope to do after college?

I plan to finish my university education as a magna cum laude graduate. I plan to pursue law school with hopes of entering Vanderbilt’s law school. I know, with hard work and perseverance, I can achieve my goals. Once I obtain my law degree, I envision myself still being involved in my community helping and mentoring students to achieve their own goals.

What do you love about Nashville?

I have truly come to love and appreciate Music City. Whether it’s enjoying the entertainment on Lower Broad or living in the surrounding neighborhoods, Nashville brings a different vibe and mixture of diverse backgrounds that brings everyone together in unity and ideas. An example of such is the yearly event Celebrate Nashville – an event that showcases the many ethnicities in the city. Overall, I love the Southern hospitality Tennesseans show to one another.

What do you do in your free time?

I enjoy setting up and playing some pickup soccer with my friends. We usually go eat afterward and just catch up on life.

Like many Nashvillians, Arturo has an interesting story to tell. You can find out more by viewing the story of his family’s coming to America in this video.