Seventeen University of Florida students have been selected for the Spring 2022 class of the Bob Graham Center’s Tallahassee Internship Program.
The students will intern in a variety of positions across the state’s executive, legislative and judicial offices, and in a public affairs lobbying firm during the state’s upcoming legislative session. They represent more than 15 academic disciplines and have individually demonstrated outstanding involvement across the public service landscape.
Since the internship was created in 2009, the Graham Center and the UF Office of Government and Community Relations have partnered to place 189 UF students in the program.
New this year, the Graham Center and Florida Sea Grant are piloting two internships focused on issues that promote the sustainability and resilience of Florida’s coastal communities and ocean resources.
Additionally, Florida Blue has continued its partnership with the Graham Center to support the Paul Sanford Florida Blue intern, whose internship will focus on pressing health care issues and topics.
The members of the 2022 class of Graham Center Tallahassee interns and their placements are:
- Roberto Ferrer, Florida Sea Grant Intern, Office of Representative Ben Diamond;
- Derrick Evans, Florida Sea Grant Intern, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission;Â and
- Isabella Kemp, Paul Sanford Florida Blue Intern, House Speaker Paul Renner.
Four students will work in the Florida House of Representatives:
- Adi Basu-Dutta, Office of Representative Thad Altman
- Ashley Weymouth, Office of Representative Matt Willhite
- Fiorella Zarza Ayala, Office of Representative Nicholas Duran
- Marquelle Ogletree, Office of Representative Yvonne Hayes Hinson
Five students will serve in the Florida Senate:
- Oneyda Ayala, Office of Senator Lori Berman
- Paulina Trujillo, Office of Senator Tina Polsky
- Sophia De La Cruz, Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book
- Angel Tseng, Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book
- Thomas Driggers, Office of Senator Travis Hutson
Three students are placed in state agencies:
- Rocio Montero Mask, Florida Department of Education
- Andy Shodell, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Austin Burton, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
One student will be placed at the Florida Supreme Court:
- Max Portillo, Florida Supreme Court Public Information Office
One student has been placed in a governmental and public affairs lobbying firm:
- Andrew Chekan, Ballard Partners
Readers are invited to stay updated on the interns’ experiences by following the Graham Center’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Oneyda Ayala
Oneyda Ayala is a junior majoring in economics and minoring in sociology. She serves as a treasurer for the Southern Scholarship Foundation, a program committed to providing affordable housing to college students. She is also an active member of UF’s Florida Puppy Club to promote and support the mission of Southeastern Guide Dogs in providing life-changing service dogs for people with vision loss, veterans with disabilities, and children with significant challenges.
Aditya Basu-Dutta
Adi Basu-Dutta is a junior political science major who, since middle school, has planned to devote his life to public service. As a UF student, he has participated in student clubs, written for the Florida Political Review, and interned with the City of Gainesville, where he has practiced applying data analysis to the study and improvement of community wellbeing. Currently, Adi works as a freelance copywriter and communications intern with the Southern Group of State Foresters.
Austin Burton
Austin Burton is a junior studying environmental science. He hopes to use his internship experience to further connect local and state government efforts that preserve outdoor spaces for the benefit of Floridians. Prior to enrolling at UF, Austin attended Santa Fe College where he was a recipient of the Leadership Scholar Award, a 2020 recipient of the Civic Engagement Award, and an inductee into the Santa Fe College Class of 2021 Hall of Fame.
Andrew Chekan
Andrew Chekan is a fourth-year economics and political science double major pursuing a senior thesis in the spring. He plans to pursue a law degree. Andrew hopes this internship will teach him about the legislative process and how it interacts with those in the field of law. He also hopes that the hands-on experience gained at Florida’s Capital shows him how those in elected positions give back to their communities.
Sophia De La Cruz
Sophia De La Cruz is a second-year student majoring in international studies and political science with a minor in family, youth and community studies. She is a National Hispanic Scholar and a John V. Lombardi scholar. She is a member of the Bob Graham Center Fellows, the Freshman Leadership Council and Engage Florida. Sophia is passionate about learning how to serve others well, and hopes to learn about economic empowerment, community development and agriculture during her internship.
Thomas Driggers
Thomas Driggers is a third-year political science major who looks forward to experiencing firsthand the operation of the Florida Legislature and using the training to build a foundation for a career in political or civil law. He is a Florida Bright Futures scholar and a member of the Delta Epsilon Phi German National Honor Society. He hopes to attend law school at UF and eventually run for office at the state or local level.
Derrick Evans
Derrick Evans is a third-year economics and political science dual major transfer from Santa Fe College and Pennsylvania State University. In 2019 and 2020, Derrick was honored with the Florida College System all-academic distinction. He has also received the Diamond Scholars award and earned his international studies certification. He hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the political issues Florida faces, and plans to use his experience in government and knowledge of marine life to protect the state’s marine ecosystems.
Roberto Ferrer
Roberto Ferrer is a senior criminology major pursuing minors in Latin American studies and Portuguese. His fluency in three languages has been instrumental to his research in wildlife trafficking, fisheries management and sea turtle conservation. Roberto has maintained a near-perfect GPA throughout his academic career at UF. He hopes to improve his organization, leadership, and writing abilities during the internship, and learn how conservation networks operate within the state.
Isabella Kemp
Isabella Kemp is an international studies junior with minors in chemistry and German. She was awarded a NOAA Hollings Scholarship in 2021 based on a demonstrated commitment to the environment and public service. Upon completion of her Tallahassee internship, she hopes to have a better understanding of policymaking within the state of Florida as it relates to climate change. Isabella is delighted to serve as this year’s Florida Blue intern, where she will learn firsthand how advocacy can lead to public good.
Rocio Montero-Mask
Rocio Montero-Mask is a rising senior from West Palm Beach majoring in political science with a minor in mass communications and on the pre-law track. Rocio is an assistant director of Keystone Florida with Florida Blue Key, director of economic opportunity with Engage Florida, and coordinator of social media marketing and engagement with Princesses Against Cancer. She was student government president of Palm Beach State College and the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award. She has also served in internships with Sen. Lori Berman and Rep. Chuck Clemons. After graduation, Rocio hopes to follow her passion for municipal change in the modern era through education.
Marquelle Ogletree
Marquelle Ogletree is a second-year student pursuing a major in sociology and a minor in Spanish. Marquelle has a strong passion for social justice and examining the intersectionality of complex social issues, noted through her advocacy relating to climate and environmental justice issues, and criminal justice. Through the internship, she hopes to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the state legislative process. Marquelle plans to use this opportunity to grow personally and professionally while exploring the broad array of career paths related to policy, advocacy and public service.
Max Portillo
Max Portillo is currently a fourth-year student completing a degree in criminology and law with a minor in African American history. His academic accomplishments include being a former intern for Congressman Eliot Engel from New York, serving as a poll worker for the City of Gainesville and national elections, and working on prison reform at the Future of Florida Summit. Through his Tallahassee internship, Max hopes to gain valuable insights into how the Florida Legislature works behind the scenes, and to apply this newfound knowledge to a master’s degree or working in government affairs in the future.
Andrew Shodell
Andy Shodell is in his third year at UF studying English and political science. He is the managing editor of the Florida Political Review, assistant executive director of Engage Florida, and a tutor in the UF Writing Studio. Since the 2020 election, Andy has worked in communications at the Bob Graham Center and interned at a Florida-based digital political firm. He enjoys editing and writing articles, speeches, and poems, with the hope of dedicating his life to the public good.
Paulina Trujillo
Paulina Trujillo is currently a second-year political science and public relations dual major. She is on the pre-law track with a strong interest in pursuing public policy. Paulina earned a spot on the dean’s list of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for both Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. She has interned for Rep. Anna Eskamani and is a Bob Graham student fellow. From the Tallahassee internship, she hopes to gain extensive hands-on experience with Florida law, and apply that to work on public policy on Capitol Hill.
Angel Tseng
Angel Tseng is a third-year history major and business administration minor interested in Title IX advocacy, civic engagement and public service. She is a resident assistant with UF Housing and Residence Life and the cultural chair of Kappa Phi Lambda Asian-interest sorority. Angel hopes her internship experience will further a professional goal of working to prohibit sex-based discrimination and an academic goal of preparing and publishing policy recommendations.
Ashley Weymouth
Ashley Weymouth is a junior pursuing a dual degree in art and psychology with a certificate in visual arts in medicine. She is passionate about the role that the arts play in individual and community wellbeing, and has served as an art volunteer for elementary schools. Through this internship, Ashley hopes to learn more about forming policies and advocating for programs that promote the arts within schools and community organizations.
Fiorella Zarza
Fiorella Zarza is a third-year student from Paraguay majoring in economics and political science. She is in the UF Honors Program and has been part of the Hispanic Student Association and the UF Preview staff. Fiorella has always had a passion for public service. Through this internship she hopes to better understand the socioeconomic and political relationships in civic life issues, and gain experience in practicing and understanding community leadership both in Florida and abroad.