Trey Billing Interns with the Ohio Office of Budget and Management through University of Dayton Program

2013 Aug 9

Trey Billing of Dayton, OH, recently completed an internship with the Ohio Office of Budget and Management through the University of Dayton Statehouse Civic Scholars Program.

The program provides housing and a stipend for living expenses for 12 students gaining valuable work experience in state government.

"We are developing the next generation of excellent and ethical public servants in Ohio, teaching them valuable networking skills and, hopefully, giving them a reason to work and live in Ohio after graduation," said Eileen Austria, Statehouse Civic Scholars Program coordinator. "We're also trying to take out the deal breakers, like living and travel expenses. If we want kids to stay in Ohio, we have to find ways to get them in the door (of internships at places like state government). You have to give them a reason to stay in Ohio."

For each of the past three summers, students have worked in the offices of Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, among others.

After the first summer, the program and the students turned heads. Austria said she received inquiries from state representatives about why they didn't have a University of Dayton student placed with them. They want her to get in touch with them earlier so they can have a University of Dayton student.

"Although we usually only take law student externs, I agreed to try a UD college extern, and am I ever glad I did," Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Stratton said.

Many Statehouse Civic Scholars Program participants have received full- or part-time offers in state government or government relations positions.

The program started with funding from the University of Dayton's College of Arts and Sciences dean's office, the political science department, honors program and government affairs office. It was born from a demand by University of Dayton students for more internships. The program has received additional support from the AT&T Foundation, CSX and DP&L.