Contact: Kenneth Billings
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Five Mississippi State students, along with 21 peers from Michigan State University, will get an intensive introduction to federal public policy as part of their participation in the William A. Demmer Scholars Program.
The group is spending the summer in Washington, D.C., working in various high-profile governmental offices during 13-week paid internships.
Mark Rey, Michigan State fisheries and wildlife department's executive-in-residence, leads the program. A former undersecretary for natural resources and agriculture in President George W. Bush's administration, he said the program is designed to provide an inside look at how branches of the federal government, as well as non-government entities and the media, affect the development and implementation of natural resource policies.
Participants will complete the 40-hours-a-week program with either a government or non-government agency active in natural resources policy-making. Additionally, they will attend weekly lecture and discussion sessions, augmented by nine half-day and weekend field trips designed to provide experience in policy development.
The course, "Advocacy in the Natural Resources Arena," reviews the types of advocacy groups operating in the natural resources arena, tools and techniques used in environmental advocacy, tactics commonly used in advocacy campaigns, and ethical questions that often arise during advocacy work.
Mississippi State's 2011 Demmer Scholars and their internship placements include:
MADISON--Michael B. "Barrie" Rhemann, a graduate student in public policy and administration, interning with the U.S. Senate, Committee on Appropriations Mississippi. She is the daughter of Jeffrey Rhemann of Jackson [39282] and Angela Rhemann of Madison.
OXFORD--Junior biological engineering major Kyle M. Sherman, interning with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resources Division. He is the son of Maurice and Judith Sherman.
RAYMOND--Senior finance major Jared B. Hutchins, interning with the Hardwood Federation/American Forest & Paper Association. He is the son of Jeffrey and Joni Hutchins.
STARKVILLE--Agriculture, food and resource economics major Andrew J. "Andy" Brown, the son of Michael and Karen Brown, interning with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service; and communication major Lindsay S. Linhares, the daughter of Gerald and Susan Linhares, interning with the Office of Congressman Gregg Harper/National Association of Conservation Districts. Both are seniors.