The Perspective of an Applied Politics Student and the Unique Opportunities It Provides for Experiential Learning

Hi, y’all! My name is William Mason, and I am a senior majoring in Political Science with minors in both Philosophy and Law, Jurisprudence, and the State. Last year, I had the opportunity to join the 8th cohort of the Applied Politics program. This was a fantastic certificate program that I recommend to any student in SPIA or Grady. From getting to take relevant classes with excellent professors like Dr. Haynes, Cottrell, and Watson to hear from leading practitioners in the field, such as elected officials and political strategists, the opportunities are endless and a great experience for students looking to get involved and get engaged with what they are learning in the classroom.
Part of the certificate program is an internship of the student’s choice related to the overall curriculum of the program. With the support of these incredible professors, I was supported and guided from my job search all the way to getting acclimated in my role. This was an incredible experience.
As a Pre-Law student with a passion for public service, I knew I wanted something that would bridge the two and allow me to gain first-hand insight into the day-to-day of public service through legal operations and policy. After hearing from Governor Kemp as a practitioner of Applied Politics, I decided to apply for the Governor’s Internship Program. Utilizing the preparation skills taught by Applied Politics, I applied for the program. I was lucky enough to be given an interview to share my passion for policy and public service. This summer, they offered me the opportunity to serve as a Legal Intern with the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, which is tasked with connecting disabled Georgians with job training, post-secondary support, and career opportunities where they can thrive.
As someone with a disability, it was extremely rewarding and eye-opening to be able to support the agency in this mission. I was responsible for sitting in on and assisting with day-to-day legal operations such as open record requests, audits, and contracts, as well as civil rights and employment law-related issues. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to assist the agency’s General Counsel’s Office in legal hearings and the preparation of policy deliverables. This was all to support the work of the agency.
This opportunity was incredibly rewarding and a fantastic learning experience. It was a unique opportunity to apply precisely what we learned in Applied Politics and serve the State of Georgia. Through the mentorship of Dr. Haynes and other fantastic SPIA professors, I achieved these opportunities to engage both academically and professionally in an experience that serves both our state and community.