With the regular session of the West Virginia Legislature over, many West Virginians are wondering what got accomplished during the session and where the state budget stands.
Glenville State College students Conner Ferguson, Wesley Self, and Amber Sticker-Bass got to experience firsthand how different laws were debated and voted on, and the complexity of the budget-making process.
These students were selected as Frasure-Singleton Interns to participate in the 2017 legislative session. As Frasure-Singleton interns each student was assigned to a legislator in either the House of Delegates or in the Senate and were able to attend committee meetings and public hearings, aid their legislators with issue research, and help with constituent requests and other legislative tasks.
Conner Ferguson, a native of Glenville, West Virginia and a senior at GSC majoring in marketing with minors in political science and non-profit leadership management was assigned to Delegate Brent Boggs in the House of Delegates. Delegate Boggs is a Democratic Delegate who represents the 34th District in Braxton and Gilmer Counties. Boggs is in the minority leadership office, and is currently serving as the minority chair of the House of Delegates Finance Committee. During his time in the House of Delegates, Boggs has served as the Majority Leader, Chair of the House Finance Committee, and other leadership positions. He is also a 1976 GSC graduate.
“Being selected as a Frasure-Singleton intern and being able to participate in a small part of the legislative session was an experience that I truly value and one that I will never forget. Having been involved with politics for many years, this internship was a great way to learn more about state politics and legislative procedures. I would like to thank Delegate Brent Boggs for being so instrumental in helping me over the years and letting me intern with him. With his help, I created many connections in Charleston and throughout the state which wouldn’t have been possible without Delegate Boggs and the Frasure-Singleton Internship Program,” Ferguson said.
Wesley Self, a native of Glenville, West Virginia and a sophomore at GSC majoring in social studies education (5-adult) was assigned to Senator Robert Karnes in the State Senate. Senator Karnes is a Republican Senator who represents the 11th Senatorial District in Upshur, Webster, Nicholas, Randolph, Pocahontas, Pendleton, and Grant counties. Senator Karnes currently serves as the Chair of the Select Committee on Tax Reform and the Vice Chair of the Senate Education Committee.
“My time at the West Virginia Legislature was an amazing educational opportunity, and has given me the knowledge to understand the day-to-day activities of a West Virginia State Senator. I believe that my experiences with the legislature have given me a better understanding of the legislative process, while allowing me to see firsthand the remarkable work of our outstanding legislature,” Self said.
Amber Striker-Bass, a native of Clay County, West Virginia and a junior at GSC obtaining a board of regents degree was assigned to Delegate Bill Anderson in the House of Delegates. Delegate Anderson is a Republican Delegate representing the 8th District in Wood County. Anderson has been in the House of Delegates since 1992 and has served as the Speaker Pro Tempore and as a member of the Governor’s Commission on Quality and Equity in Education.
“My time with the West Virginia Legislature was an experience like no other. As a veteran, it was wonderful to see our freedoms in action. With the Frasure-Singleton Internship, I was given a view of the House of Delegates that isn’t available to everyone. I would love the opportunity to return to the House of Delegates as a Herndon Intern next session and I plan on applying,” Striker-Bass said.
During each legislative session up to 51 students from colleges and universities throughout West Virginia can apply to take part in the Frasure-Singleton Legislative Internship. To be eligible students must be a college sophomore, junior, or senior, be in good academic standing, and preferably have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. For more information about GSC students and these internships, contact Marisha Lecea at Marisha.Lecea@glenville.edu or (304) 462-6288.
