The Georgia Legislative Internship Program has selected two Columbus State University students to work in Atlanta with the Georgia Legislature in January.

Victoria McCullor, a rising senior criminal justice major from Savannah, and Dylan Fessler, a military veteran now studying sociology, are now part of a 40+-year tradition of college students working with the Georgia General Assembly. Only about 35 interns are selected from across the state to receive firsthand experience of the legislative process.
 
The internships are paid, and Columbus State University is providing an additional $1,000 stipend to each student.
 
“I am very proud that two of our students were selected for this prestigious program,” said CSU President Chris Markwood. “As a former senate page, I can attest to how valuable this experience will be for Victoria and Dylan. Not only is this a great example of experiential learning, I’m sure they will both be wonderful examples of CSU students during the upcoming legislative session.”
 
According to Georgia Legislative Internship Program, “once students are selected for the internship, they are assigned to offices in the Georgia House of Representatives or the Georgia State Senate.  Each intern will serve a unique purpose in the process and have a multitude of different tasks to perform each day that may include legislative tracking, constituent services, media assistance, attendance at committee meetings, writing bill summaries and so much more.  During their time at the State Capitol, interns will gain knowledge of how state government works, how the legislative process works, along with making lifelong career contacts and friendships.”
 
Bridget Downs, assistant dean of community outreach for CSU’s College of Letters and Sciences, led the process to find suitable intern candidates.

McCullor, 20, is originally from Miami but was raised in Riceboro, Ga. She is a member of Honors Causa and Honors College. She also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and the newly founded Student Advisory Board for the Criminal Justice and Sociology Department. Her goals are to obtain work experience towards her degree, pursue a law degree and then professionally use her law degree in the field.

Fessler, 34, was born in Kansas and spent eight years in the Army as an Infantryman. He had three combat tours (two in Iraq and in Afghanistan), He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Expert Infantryman Badge. After being Medically discharged from the Army, he decided to go back to school. Currently he is a junior sociology major with a wife and two children.