Spring fever in the Capitol

Every spring in Frankfort, the Kentucky General Assembly convenes for the spring legislative session. If you peek inside the bustling halls of the Capitol building, you won’t just find members of the state House and Senate. You’ll also find UofL student interns gaining experience in the behind-the-scenes work of policymaking and the legislative process.

For 25 years, UofL has provided students this opportunity to get up close and personal with members of the Kentucky Legislature through the Frankfort Internship Program. In 2023-24, 21 students – the most of any Kentucky university – were paired with a state senator or representative based on their ability to perform supportive tasks such as speech writing, researching bills as well as attending meetings and General Assembly sessions.

The program is an immersive experience for the interns, who take on an active role in government to help make positive change in Kentucky and develop skills they’ll take with them to be successful beyond graduation.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the late nights where we were just sitting and talking about what was coming up the next day with our senator,” intern said. “That was really exciting because that's when I fully felt like, ‘oh, I'm in a legislative session and this is actually happening. I’m really a part of this.’”

Skills for success

The program was founded by political science professor and UofL legend Phil Laemmle, who connected with and inspired countless students during his 34-year tenure.

“It's no exaggeration to say that there are thousands of alums in this community who owe their careers to Dr. Laemmle and the Frankfort program,” said Jasmine Farrier, a political science professor who serves as the director of the program.

Hall and Emmy Slaton are two student interns who took part this year and worked with Rep. Rachel Roarx and Rep. Tina Bojanowski, respectively. Hall, a senior who was in her second year of the program, also served as the internship coordinator, acting as a liaison between the interns and their professors during the program.

“It's a little difficult managing 20 interns who are mostly freshmen who had never stepped foot on the State Capitol before,” Hall said. “I think I'll definitely take the leadership skills that I got from that experience and transfer those skills over to any of my future jobs.”

As part of her internship tasks, Hall, who is double majoring in communication and political science, focused on expanding her speech writing skills for Roarx to complement her communication background. She also conducted floor amendments research, helped write grant proposals and corresponded with constituents over email.

“I really enjoyed the speech writing,” Hall said. “That was something I had a little bit of experience with, but I didn't have a lot before coming in. Just working my writing muscles again was really, really fun.”

[caption id="attachment_61053" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Participants in UofL's Frankfort Internship Program[/caption]

The internship counts as an academic experience for students to earn credit. In addition to clearing their Tuesday and Thursday schedules to earn their hours in the field, interns are asked to write papers on the political background of their member, what committees their member works on, track a bill their member sponsored and compare the bills to similar ones in other states.

“This is just one example of getting a resume-building experience while you're at UofL,” Farrier said. “Students learn the hard skills of doing the job well and often doing it with minimal supervision. There's also the soft skill or set of skills that students learn, and that includes office culture, hierarchy, communication etiquette and the unspoken ways that people interact in a workplace.”

These skills are difficult to teach in a classroom and provide students with an edge as they dive into their careers after graduation. Farrier said students also gain a better understanding of their government through the internship program, which makes them more engaged and educated citizens.

Slaton, a freshman double majoring in political science and history, confirmed her experiences as an intern expanded her knowledge and understanding of government, which made the internship even more impactful for her.

“One of the most rewarding and exciting parts for me was seeing the impact of the research I was doing and then fully understanding what they were talking about in session,” Slaton said. “This was truly an inside perspective, and being knowledgeable on the topics and completely understanding them as well as being able to ask Tina any questions I had was such a good experience for me. I honestly could not be more thankful for it.”

Connections for a brighter future

Another benefit of the program is the network of students who are interested in politics in addition to the members, Farrier said. Students can form bonds with their member or the legislative assistant, who often help them on their paths to success.

“When there is a special bond between the member and their intern or between the legislative assistant and the intern, students can go back to those individuals later and ask for a letter of reference or recommendation that can open up other opportunities,” Farrier said. “In some cases, there are great job opportunities that come directly from the internship. Students can land paying jobs in campaigns, in advocacy groups, even as legislative assistants themselves, and we are especially proud of the students who take this path and turn it into a career.”

OJ Oleka ’10 turned his internship experience into a successful career in politics. Oleka has served as a former deputy treasurer for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and works closely with state and local government agencies in his current work as a senior business development executive at Conduit. His internship experience was pivotal to his successful career.

“My two years as an intern gave me immense insight into how government truly works, creating a deep knowledge and understanding of state government inner workings. It strengthened my desire and love for public service and helped me understand which parts of it I found most interesting and most connected to my skill set and long-term career goals,” Oleka said. “The academic experience as a student provided the outline and the shape to government action; my experience as an intern colored it.”

Hall said the support system among the interns is strong and goes beyond the cohort of students from UofL, giving students a diverse network of students to connect with even after the internship ends.

“We're interacting with UK interns and KU interns and EKU interns, so we are making connections that essentially span the state,” she said.

Leaders of tomorrow

Hall’s goal is to use her experience from her two years in the Frankfort Internship Program to eventually work in the Department of Education, writing legislation as an expert in the field.

“I want to make a positive change for Kentuckians,” Hall said. “I have a lot of connections now with multiple departments within Frankfort, and I have a very good relationship with the people at the Legislative Research Commission, which is where the experts in the field reside. This internship helped me make the connections who will support my search for job opportunities.”

Farrier says the internship program hits the trifecta.

“It's a win for students. It's a win for the legislature. And it's a win for UofL because our students get to show their talents, their diversity and their commitment.”