By Laura Brunelli
Powhatan Resident

I have to admit, before my internship as part of VCU’s Virginia Capital Semester Program (VCS), I had little involvement in state politics.
 
I never followed the General Assembly sessions or thought about introduced legislation. After all, I was an International Studies major who wanted to travel the world and help people living in poverty. I never wanted to become a politician. The term had always held a negative connotation in my mind, but oh, how my opinions have changed thanks to VCS.

I applied to the program as a senior VCU student studying abroad in Belgium during the fall of 2010. I was taking courses on the European Union and United Nations when I realized that the best way to better peoples’ lives might be through policy. I received an email inviting students to apply for an internship working one-on-one with legislators in Richmond during the 2011 General Assembly Session. I saw it as a great opportunity to learn more about the legislative process, but really didn’t know what to expect. Luckily, I was accepted into the program and a whole world of behind-the-scenes politics was revealed to me.

Coming into the Capital Semester Program, I was wary about the upcoming session as I learned that I would be working with Delegate Bob Tata, a Republican from Virginia Beach. I had considered myself a moderate Democrat and felt that we may not get along very well in such a political environment. I was flat-out wrong. I discovered that Delegate Tata and I share many of the same views.  Getting to know him, I found he is charismatic, caring, yet straightforward. I learned that partisanship does not play as big of a role in state politics as many people assume. Of course, an R or D behind a legislator’s name can give you a pretty good idea of where they’re coming from, but so many various factors contribute to whether a Delegate or Senator votes yea or nay on a bill. A district’s location (rural vs. urban), constituents’ views, and a legislator’s personal understanding of an issue are all key in deciding how to vote. 

During my first days as an intern with the House of Delegates in the General Assembly Building (GAB), I expected to see legislators who were not very cordial towards each other. This was another huge misconception on my part. Not only were the delegates friendly, but the GAB started to feel like home, where the delegates and staff made up a family. Delegates had their disagreements and argued on the floor, but still joked with one another and tried to lighten the formal mood of floor sessions. Delegate Tata’s staff took me in as one of their own, and I immediately felt like I belonged there. I was not an outsider looking in; I was part of the family. It was nice to see the way everyone who came into the office was welcomed and treated respectfully. 

The experience opened my eyes to how much of a difference constituents can make, just by talking to their Delegate or Senator and expressing their concerns. Before working for Delegate Tata, I never thought that a voter’s opinion could count as much as it does. I was skeptical about the decisions legislators made and on what factors their decisions were based. I was surprised to find that legislators do really care about their constituents and want to help them. Legislators are truly public servants, and I’m glad I can recognize that now. As an intern, I was able to meet with constituents when Delegate Tata was out of the office. I learned about some fascinating topics from constituents and heard touching stories that brought tears to my eyes. It was times like these that I could understand why someone would want to become a Delegate. Interning at the General Assembly has pushed me to become more involved in the legislative process. I strongly encourage others to be more active in it, too. Virginians need to pay more attention to the General Assembly’s decisions, as the laws that our Delegates and Senators pass will affect us all.

I will never forget my experience at the General Assembly and what I have learned about Virginia’s legislative process. This internship was one of the best opportunities I have come across during my college career and I am so glad I took advantage of it. Looking back as I get ready to graduate in May, I’m so grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Delegate Tata. This internship has sparked my passion for the Virginia legislative process and will hopefully lead to a career in the Virginia state government. During the program orientation, we were told, “Either you will hate the process and never come back to the GAB, or you’ll be addicted to state politics.” I guess VCS has made me into an addict.