State legislators visit WVU to promote internships

Morgantown, WV, September 20, 2006:  West Virginia State Senator Roman Prezioso and House of Delegates Majority Leader Rick Staton will visit campus next week to promote the West Virginia Legislative Internship Programs.

Prezioso and Staton, who are co-chairs of the Legislative Internship Committee, want to inform students about the many internship opportunities offered by the West Virginia State Legislature.

During their visit on Tuesday, September 26, Prezioso and Staton will speak with Dr. Chris Plein’s Public Administration 640 graduate class. In their presentation to the class, Prezioso and Staton will focus on the Walter Rollins Scholars and Robert W. Burk, Jr., Student Internships. Six Rollins Scholars and four Burk Interns are selected to assist lawmakers serving in leadership positions of the Senate and House of Delegates. The students must be enrolled in a graduate degree program; however, there is no specific academic area of study required.

The Division of Public Administration and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences will also sponsor a drop-in reception for all those interested in learning about the internship programs at 3:15 p.m. in Knapp Hall, Room 400. Students, faculty and staff from all academic disciplines are invited to attend.

There are five legislative internship programs for West Virginia college and university students. In addition to the Rollins and Burk internships, others include the Lewis McManus Fellowship, a year-long position that is open to a second-year master’s of public administration student who is committed to public service after graduation; the Judith A. Herndon Fellowship, open to full-time undergraduate students of all majors who are interested in assisting a legislator for the duration of the 60-day legislative session; the Frasure-Singleton Internship, a week-long program in which undergraduate students of all majors are assigned to one legislator in order to learn about the legislative process; and the Legislative Information Journalism Internship, open to undergraduate or graduate journalism students who will work for the Legislature’s Reference and Information Center.

“The West Virginia Legislative Internship Programs are nationally recognized for their quality of placement and the wide range of experiences made available to students,” said Dr. Plein, Chair of the Division of Public Administration.

Senator Prezioso represents West Virginia’s 13th senatorial district, which includes parts of Monongalia and Marion counties. He serves as chair of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee. Prior to his election to the senate, he served as a delegate in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1989 to 1996.

Delegate Staton represents the House of Delegates’ 22nd district. In 2001, he was selected as the House of Delegates Majority Leader. He is a member of the House Political Subdivisions and House Rules committees.

“We appreciate the leadership of Staton and Prezioso in this important area, and we are pleased that Senator Prezioso continues his interest in education by serving on the Advisory Board of the Eberly College," said Mary Ellen Mazey, Dean of the Eberly College.

For more information, please contact Dr. Chris Plein at 304-293-2614, ext. 3157, or at lplein@wvu.edu.

W-V-U