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Students describe legislative internships and say the experience reshaped their view of policymaking
Summary
Two Radford students described their semester-long legislative internships in Richmond, including office duties, committee attendance and networking with alumni; both said the experience made them more engaged and nuanced about public service.
Two students participating in Radford's government-relations internship described their placements and takeaways to the Board of Visitors on March 20.
Taylor Plapp and Olivia Turner explained that the semester program places students in legislative offices during the session and then transitions them to work in the president's office. Their duties included attending committee meetings, bill tracking, constituent intake, social-media content and networking with alumni and legislative staff.
Both students said the experience changed their perceptions of lawmakers and policymaking: they praised the professionalism of legislative staff, described opportunities to support constituent services and legislative processes, and noted that compromise and human interactions are central to public service. They also highlighted the advocacy-day participation that brought students to Richmond to meet legislators.
The board thanked the students for their service and confirmed both students will continue with the president's office. Administrators noted the internship as a high-impact experiential-learning model tied to the university's strategic goals.
