L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Fall 2023

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Taking the Capitol Steps to Career Success

Students gain an inside perspective on legislation in action

BY RACHEL ZEEVE

What’s the best way for undergraduates to gain experience in public service? With Virginia’s Capitol right down the street from the VCU Monroe Park campus, this collaborative, hands-on legislative interning develops students’ critical skills for career success. The Wilder School Virginia Capitol Semester program represents a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to gain direct experience in the policy process. Each spring, the internship combines classroom experience with hands-on public service work in the office of a Virginia State Legislature House delegate or senator during the General Assembly. Practical classroom experience forms the bedrock for the career experiences students gain throughout the semester. Coursework examines state policy issues and legislative process. Concurrently, guest speakers share a detailed look behind the scenes of state government.

“I aspire to get accepted into law school and become a successful lawyer. The Capitol Semester program helped prepare me to reach these goals, because the program gives you real responsibility in Virginia’s legislature.”
-LAILA BARNES, criminal justice and political science

After a pivot from international relations to political science, undergraduate Edvard Evans applied to the program to see legislation in action. “I’ve learned at great length about government, but I wanted to see it operating in the active sense — no classroom alone can replicate that level of learning,” he said. Students also heard from a number of guest speakers who illuminated new perspectives in the policy world. Laila Barnes’ favorite was Governor L. Douglas Wilder, 66th Governor of Virginia and the school’s namesake. “When he came and spoke to our class, he had rich knowledge and wisdom regarding the state of Virginia,” she said. “He made a comment about Virginia being a ‘people’s state,’ not a red or blue state. He showed us how he went out and spoke to the people regardless of the background that they come from.” Sofhia Pineda Garay found the perspectives of Michael Maul, director of the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget, especially helpful. “I really enjoyed knowing that the state of Virginia is endowed to invest most of its budget on K-12 education and Medicaid holders to ensure healthcare accessibility for all,” she said.

Contributing to the world of policymaking

Barnes spent the semester as an intern with the Office of Minority Leader Delegate Don Scott. There, she played an integral role in supporting daily activities — tracking bills and committee activity while organizing calendars and meeting notes. She also assisted with editing newsletters, researching bills, attending constituent meetings, and following legislation. With aspirations to become a lawyer, Barnes felt welcomed by the staffers and work environment as she honed her skills. “I felt comfortable while learning new tasks and developing myself as a student and future professional,” said Barnes. “I would recommend applying for this program because it allows you to make future connections with legislators and community members.” Pineda Garay put her advocacy skills to work in the Office of Senator Mamie Locke, responding to constituent concerns through in-person and virtual meetings with other legislators, advocacy groups, state agency employees and department lobbyists, all while tracking key bills in both the House and Senate. “I enjoyed attending committee meetings and watching our legislators debate public policy reform to better public services in our communities and localities,” she said. Working in the Office of Senator George Barker, Evans was responsible for organizing bills and talking points for committee meetings as well as constituent correspondence. Evans quickly learned that with some practice, government can be more accessible than it appears. “From the outside, it’s easy to view government bodies as being complicated machines,” he said. “However, throughout my time in the program, I realized how transparent the government can be if you know what you are looking for. It is easy to contact representatives, and many questions can be answered by simply reaching out and asking.” For his final project, Evans worked alongside classmate C.J. Walz to design a bill focused on underage sex trafficking in Virginia. “For our bill, we looked at Peterson and McClellan’s Senate Bill 664 of the 2022 session and Delaney’s House Bill 2131 of the 2023 session for modification,” he said. “We combined the two and altered the language to create something we thought would better protect the children of the commonwealth while creating a more agreeable bill for a divided House.”

“I really enjoyed knowing that the state of Virginia is (investing in) K-12 education and Medicaid holders to ensure healthcare accessibility for all. I also enjoyed hearing about the vast majority of career backgrounds of employees in this department.”
-SOFHIA PINEDA GARAY, criminal justice and political science

Connections and career opportunities

Over the years, many Capitol Semester participants have gone on to receive extended internships and permanent staff roles. Working shoulder to shoulder with a range of legislative professionals also aids students in connecting to a wide range of government, industry and other public sector relationships. For Pineda Garay, networking was invaluable to her success in the program. “The best and most rewarding part of this experience was the opportunity to network with agency representatives and nonprofit organizations in the Richmond area,” said Pineda Garay. “This internship is a great chance to watch our legislators in action, witness firsthand public engagement and explore career opportunities offered by state agencies and departments.” Across party lines, Evans noted a welcoming work environment. “Friendships and positive work relationships were the norm,” he said. “This good-natured relationship was reflected in the ability of members to work collaboratively on bills and issues where large divisions of policy preference were present. I found a newfound appreciation for the level at which laws and policies have to be scrutinized across the aisle.”

A launchpad for the future

In the fast-paced legislative environment, managing responsibilities and prioritizing projects gives students the opportunity to problem-solve independently. Whether they continue their education or pursue their burgeoning careers, students emerge with the ability to adapt their skills to any paths their futures hold. Now, Evans is motivated by a passion for the policy world. “The Capitol Semester program created my career goals,” he reflected. “I had a loose idea that I wanted to work in a local or state-level government position but had no concrete plan for what I wanted to do. Through the Capitol Semester program, I now know that I want to assist a legislative representative by working in their office as a legislative aide or as chief of staff one day.” “Whenever I have a goal, I speak it into existence,” said Barnes. “I will graduate with high honors and build many connections along the way through more internships and career opportunities. I aspire to get accepted into law school and become a successful lawyer. The Capitol Semester program helped prepare me to reach these goals, because the program gives you real responsibility in Virginia’s legislature.” The semester served as a springboard for Pineda Garay as she looks to the future. “My career plans had always been to prepare for the LSAT and enter a Virginia law school,” she said. She’s considering graduate school across subject areas including public policy, public administration, and education administration. The Wilder School and University of Richmond dual-degree program offering a master of public administration, and juris doctor is also on her radar. “The biggest takeaway is that there are a vast number of career opportunities in the state of Virginia through state agencies and departments regarding public policy and the state’s budget,” she said. “This opportunity has allowed me to be more open-minded to explore different careers outside of my field.”

“In light of increasingly divisive conversations surrounding social and economic issues and what seems to be a growing distrust of our government, the Capitol Semester brought me a lot of comfort and hope in seeing how many things really are open for the public to look at.”
-EDVARD EVANS, political science