BSC Student Jeannie Dalton Awarded a Judith A. Herndon Fellowship For WV Legislature’s 2020 Regular Session
BSC Student Jeannie Dalton Awarded a Judith A. Herndon Fellowship For WV Legislature’s 2020 Regular Session
Bluefield State College student Jeannie Dalton has been awarded a Judith A. Herndon Fellowship with the West Virginia Legislature for the 2020 session. Each year, only 10 students from West Virginia institutions of higher education receive the fellowships that offer the chance to work with elected officials during the upcoming legislative session.
“I congratulate Ms. Dalton for her selection as a Herndon Fellow,” said Bluefield State College President Robin Capehart, who also served as a legislative intern while in college. “The opportunity to work as an intern for the legislature is invaluable and will offer a hands-on education on state government.”
“The Herndon Fellowship award means so much to me,” Dalton explained, “because I care about southern West Virginia. I am a nontraditional student who established a successful business at age 19. I always aspired to become a lawyer and enter politics, and this Fellowship will be invaluable in the pursuit of my goal.”
She was very grateful for the direction and encouragement provided by Dr. Colin Cavell, BSC professor of Political Science. “Dr. Cavell recommended me for the program, and he opened my eyes to many aspects of politics that I had never imagined,” she said.
“I am very pleased that the West Virginia Legislative Internship Committee has selected Ms. Dalton to participate in the Herndon internship program for the 2020 regular legislative session,” said Dr. Colin Cavell, BSC professor of Political Science.
“Ms. Jeannie Dalton has demonstrated academic excellence in the classes I taught in which she was a student,” noted Dr. Cavell. “Her discipline and attention to detail highlighted her unique promise, and her courteous, respectful, honest, and measured character demonstrate that Ms. Dalton will represent Bluefield State in an exemplary manner at the State Legislature.”
The Herndon Fellowship is an internship sponsored by the Legislature to instruct undergraduate students in the theory and operation of legislative bodies. A highly competitive program, full-time students of all majors and disciplines from both public and private institutions of higher learning in West Virginia may apply.
Undergraduates are selected to participate in the 60-day session as Herndon Fellows and are assigned to assist a sole legislator from either the Senate or the House of Delegates.
The interns are required to perform research and various staff functions. Among other job-related responsibilities, participants are introduced to and develop an understanding of the politics of legislation, legislative research, bill drafting, the role and function of committees and the executive-legislative liaison.
