Political science students get crash course in community leadership

By Sian Wilkerson

Two Virginia Commonwealth University students took their leadership skills to the next level this summer through a five-day retreat that prepares Virginia college students to serve as a voice in their community. Now, Ella Milton-Benoit and Rebecca Weil, both third-year political science majors, are bringing those skills back to campus.

In July, Milton-Benoit and Weil took part in the Summer Leadership Institute sponsored by Virginia21, a nonpartisan organization that encourages civic engagement among 21st-century young Virginians. The all-inclusive gathering, held this year at the University of Richmond, trains college students in networking, relationship building, advocacy work and more, giving them tools to become community leaders - whether through politics or another route.

Both students became interested in political science and civic engagement when they were young.

"This really has been my passion since I was a very little kid," said Weil, who also studies philosophy at VCU. "I grew up in a politically knowledgeable and active household, and it seemed very natural for me to get into that space."

Like Weil, Milton-Benoit's interest in political science originated at home.

"My family has no issues discussing basically anything," she said. "[When I was] very young, at the dinner table, it was, 'OK, here's what I'm hearing on the news. What do my parents think?' We had political discussion in my house from a very early age."

As part of the Virginia21 program's Student Leadership Committee, Weil and Milton-Benoit will try to ignite similar passions on VCU's campus, helping mobilize their peers to become civically engaged. Throughout the year, the two will promote the organization's curriculum through registration, education, activation and legislation.

Both Weil and Milton-Benoit already serve in leadership roles on campus. Weil is the founder and president of the National Organization for Women at VCU as well as the political affairs director for Young Democrats at VCU, while Milton-Benoit serves as the vice president of the Virginia Government Simulation, a program through the Institute for Democratic Empowerment and Pluralism.

Calling Virginia21 "an excellent outlet for youth advocates," Milton-Benoit said her goal this year is to see more collaboration among VCU's many political science-related clubs.

"I would like to have more chances for [all of the clubs] to integrate and do activities together, and bring further awareness about the political process in general," she said.

This semester, Weil will also participate in the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership's Emerging Leaders Program, which features three sessions around the state. The program, part of the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, focuses on public policy, policy advocacy, ethics in public service and more.

"I'm looking forward to being in a space where different opinions are valued and encouraged, and being able to listen to multiple sides," said Weil, adding that as one of the youngest participants - at age 20 - and the only undergraduate, she is "so nervous" but eager to learn from those who are established in the workforce.

Such programs reflect a broader effort by VCU's Department of Political Science to expand its experiential learning opportunities, said Hollie Sue Mann, Ph.D., an assistant professor and experiential learning coordinator in the department, which is part of the College of Humanities and Sciences.

"We're trying to customize undergraduate education a little bit more by giving our students more curated experiences in politics and adjacent fields," Mann said.

With a renewed focus on state and local politics, efforts include micro-internships and day trips with businesses and organizations working in politics and governance, as well as collaborations with other VCU departments and schools, such as the Richard T. Robertson School of Communication.

"We want students to keep their eyes focused, to keep their minds focused and their eyes on the prize of political leadership and governance at a time when things are shifting in the big picture federally," Mann said.

She added that "a big part of what we're trying to do in the political science department is bridge political divides and bring different intellectual and ideological voices together."

Weil, who has worked as an intern in the Richmond district offices of both U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan and Sen. Mark Warner, believes that the local and state levels are where people see political impact the most.

"If there are potholes on their streets, if they have access to the medication they need … if gas prices are too high," Weil cited as examples. "I think zooming really close in and seeing what the people around you care about and then advocating for that on a local level is so important."