Lander University juniors Macy Gault and Lexi Sterling have been accepted into the South Carolina Washington Semester Internship Program for the fall of 2021.
The prestigious program gives students firsthand experience in the nation's political process, providing opportunities to work with senators, representatives and congressional staffers. During their semester in Washington, Gault and Sterling will live with other interns in apartment-style student housing that is located in the heart of Capitol Hill.
Dr. Lillian Craton, director of Lander's Honors College and professor of English, mentored both students and said, "These two young women have remarkable intellect and professionalism. I'm so proud to have them representing Lander in the nation's capitol."
Gault is a history major with pre-law and political science minors. Sterling is pursuing a degree in business administration with an emphasis in management and marketing, and has the unique honor of being Lander's first business student selected for this program.
In addition to their academic prowess, both young women are active in Lander's student life. Gault and Sterling are both chairs in the Honors College Leadership Council, where they "helped create a wonderful year of events and opportunities for their fellow students," said Craton. "The only downside to this amazing honor is that they'll leave a huge hole at Lander while they're away."
The South Carolina Washington Semester Internship program is operated by the University of South Carolina's Honor College. "Lander is the only institution, other than the University of South Carolina Honors College, that will be represented by more than one student in the fall of 2021," said Lucas McMillan, dean for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and professor of Political Science at Lander. He also noted that Lander has achieved this feat six times previously. "We value the high-level internships that this program provides and know that it benefits students in their career aspirations," he said.
Gault and Sterling will both be first-semester seniors when they arrive in Washington. After spending several months in the capitol, they'll return to Greenwood to prepare for their final undergraduate semester at the University.