CORVALLIS – The selection process for the Willamette Valley Legislative Fellowship has concluded, and 27 excellent local students have been selected to take part in the program’s second class. The Fellowship, hosted by Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis), is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and experience necessary to pursue legislative, government and public service positions in the future.
The program was extremely competitive in its second year, receiving far more applications than anticipated. Due to a high level of interest, coordinators increased the number of positions available from 15 to 27. Exceptional applications were submitted from students across the Willamette Valley, including local high schools (Corvallis High School, Crescent Valley High School, Philomath High School & West Albany High School) and universities (Oregon State University & Western Oregon University).
“After having such a positive experience with our first class of fellows, we knew we wanted to do even more this time around,” said Rayfield. “This is a unique program in our state, and we’re looking forward to providing our fellows with an enriching experience.”
The fellows will participate in an eleven-week series of workshops, where they will learn about creating meaningful legislation and running a successful political campaign. Fellows will also work within small groups to draft and develop policy ideas.
“Political internships are often short on substance and long on menial grunt work,” Rayfield said. “We wanted to give students the opportunity to learn tangible skills and to create meaningful connections that will benefit them in the future.”
The Fellowship began on August 21st, and will conclude following the November general election. At the conclusion of the Fellowship the fellows will present their policy ideas, with the top policy being introduced by Representative Rayfield in the upcoming 2019 legislative session.
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