When Congressman
David Trone, (D-MD
6th District) visited
UPMC Western Maryland’s new
Emergency Services Department
Behavioral Health Unit in February
of 2019, he was briefed on its
plans for a Center for Hope and
Healing. An advocate for individuals
struggling with addiction, he
delivered remarks about the opioid
crisis ravaging the local area and
spoke about sponsoring related
federal legislation. Little did he
know that standing in the audience
that day was his future Capitol Hill
intern, Stephen Kraft.
Trone’s words stuck with Kraft
who had only lived in Cumberland,
Maryland, for a few years. He had
just returned to college full-time as
a nontraditional student and was
only a month into ACM’s Human
Service Associate program.
A self-described military brat
who attended Fountain-Fort Carson
High School in Colorado and had
tried college once before, he also
discovered friendship, support and
community in Cumberland after
years of working jobs in multiple
fields. His motivation to become
a social worker and advocate for
others stemmed from his own
journey. After fighting his own
demons and overcoming adversity,
Kraft committed to his sobriety
on September 14, 2018.
Two years and two months
later after that pledge and
less than a year after hearing
the Congressman speak,
Kraft was selected to intern
in Congressman Trone’s
Washington, D.C. office. He is
the first student ACM has placed
with a member of Congress.
Kraft was recommended for the
internship by Professor Cherie
Snyder. “Given his interest in social
policy, legislation and advocacy, an
internship with the Congressman
seemed like a natural fit for his third
7 ACCESS ACM / Engaging Ideas
internship. Stephen is one of the
best students I have had in my
thirty-four years as director of the
Human Service Associate program.
Although we usually place students
with direct service agencies, his
skill set and work experience made
him an excellent applicant.”
By the time he applied for the
internship, Kraft was working and
volunteering six days a week. While
training to become an addictions
counselor, he was employed at
Archway Station and completing
an internship at Maryland Wellness
(formerly BACHS Healthcare)
after previously interning at the
Allegany Halfway House through
the County Health Department and
Potomac Behavioral & Occupational
Therapy. In addition, he was
serving as a Prisoner Visitation
and Support volunteer at the
Federal Correctional Institution -
Cumberland and ACM’s student
representative to the NAACP
7007 Allegany County chapter’s
Community Safety and Wellbeing
Committee, a group he co-chairs
with Frostburg Chief of Police Nick
Costello ’14 AS in Criminology.
“I found my calling in working in
advocacy with at-risk populations,
particularly with veterans,
immigrants, and refugees,”
explained Kraft.
His selection followed an
extensive application and interview
process with Andy Flick, Trone’s
chief of staff, and Sydney Parker,
Trone’s then-staff assistant as well
as a written response exercise.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
Kraft was assigned to work
remotely in the Congressman’s
D.C. office from his Cumberland
residence. His internship coincided
with his final semester at ACM, a
college work-study assignment,
a new position as an addictions
counselor at Maryland Wellness,
and new service as a Volunteer
Responder for the Maryland
Responds Medical Reserve Corps.
He was admittedly nervous.
But in the first week of January
2021, a week that saw a riotous
attack on the U.S. Capitol, Kraft
logged into Trone’s office and
began his semester-long internship.
During such an unprecedented
time, his focus for fifteen
hours every week was on the
Congressman’s constituents. He
answered correspondence and
assisted people facing problems
with federal agencies, frequently
with two “assistants” at his side:
his faithful canine companions,
Brady and Lady.
"Stephen has been an incredible
advocate for thousands of
Marylanders in our office,
especially the folks dealing with
mental health challenges and
substance use disorders during
this pandemic," said Congressman
Trone. "Stephen's voice helps us
better serve the people of Western
Maryland by advocating for their
needs and priorities, and we are
lucky to have him as an intern this
semester."
After graduating in May, Kraft
will transfer to Frostburg State
University to pursue his BS in
Social Work.
For his graduate work, he’s now
torn between pursuing his MSW
or JD. “Law school wasn’t in my
original plans. But as I think more
about advocacy as it relates to
social justice reform, a JD could
enable me to help others more
successfully. Whether that leads to
becoming an attorney or starting a
career in policy, only time will tell.”
Mr. Kraft Goes Virtually
to Washington