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Anne Lojek figures if you want to change public policy you need to know how it’s made. The Sweet Briar biology major is spending part of this semester inside the guts of the Virginia General Assembly.

Lojek is one of 41 Virginia college students to win a spot in the Virginia Commonwealth University L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Virginia Capital Semester program. The sophomore from Chester is interning for Del. Harry R. Purkey, R-Virginia Beach, during the 2007 session.

“I am hoping to gain a firm understanding of the state government, and how I can directly influence or affect policy making,” said Lojek, who is preparing for a career related to bioethics, scientific policy making or scientific policy advising.

“I have learned that many of these politicians, although good intentioned, do not understand the science behind the policy and legislation they are discussing. I would like to change that.”

She spent last summer interning for U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Colonial Heights, in his home district office, and thought learning the ropes of state government would be a nice complement to that experience.

“As an American and a Virginian, I feel like I gain a lot of real-life experience from interning at the General Assembly. You can learn a lot in a classroom, but to make it stick, hands-on experience is key,” she said.

Lojek interns three days a week, leaving Tuesdays and Thursdays for two upper-level biology classes and a general education class at VCU. There’s also a weekly evening policy-making seminar at the State Capitol led by delegates, senators, clerks and other state government insiders.

The VCU classes are optional, although Virginia Capital Semester participants are encouraged to take credits, which transfer to their home schools.

“I wanted to get experience at an urban, public, co-ed institution,” Lojek said. “While Sweet Briar has many academic advantages, I wanted to see the academic world from a different perspective – and a different perspective is definitely what I have experienced so far.”

Meanwhile, Lojek the intern keeps up with the status of Purkey’s legislation, events he must attend, and giant binders of legislation paperwork from the committees he serves on.

“I usually get to interact with the delegate on a daily basis,” she said. “He gives me reading assignments from newspapers, magazines, online archives, etcetera”

She also attends committee and subcommittee meetings, and watches the delegates in daily sessions.

“I have learned that many of these politicians, although good intentioned, do not understand the science behind the policy and legislation they are discussing,” Lojek said. “I would like to change that and make them truly understand what they are voting for and against.”

She wants to educate politicians – and by extension, her fellow Americans – about such issues as stem cell research, cloning and in-vitro fertilization.

“By learning how the legislative system works, I am confident I will be able to execute my job more efficiently in the future,” Lojek said.

Enrollment in next year’s Virginia Capital Semester program is open. The deadline for applications for next year’s program is Oct. 1. Visit the Web site for more information.

– By Jennifer McManamay, SBC staff writer
Anne Lojek (from left) is with Lauren Kanusek ’07, Sen. “Patsy” Ticer ’55 of Alexandria, Josefina Escobar ’10 and Rachel Leonard ’08. Lojek ran into Ticer in an elevator while working at the Capitol. They later met with the SBC students, who were in Richmond lobbying to increase the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant for state residents who attend private schools.