Last month Anne Lojek of Chester, a third-year senior at Sweet Briar College, learned she had been selected as a member of the 2008 College Leaders Program at the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.

Now she has received word that she will receive a partial scholarship from the institute. The award, in addition to a grant from Sweet Briar, will cover most of the cost of attendance.

Anne Lojek during a White House visit with her senior seminar class.The program offers an advanced curriculum on public service and leadership for promising student leaders in Virginia. Competition to participate was especially intense this year, according to a statement released by the institute.

Marc Johnson, who directs the Sorensen’s youth programs, said, “This is an historic year for our College Leaders Programs. We have never before received so many applications with this number of outstanding young leaders.”

The College Leaders Program will run from May 31 to June 28. Participants will live and study on the grounds of the University of Virginia.

Lojek, a biology major at Sweet Briar, is interested in scientific policy making and advising.

“I would like to educate elected officials on complex scientific and health policy so that they make responsible and educated voting decisions on behalf of their constituents,” Lojek said.

She learned about the Sorensen Institute program for college students through her participation in Sweet Briar’s Leadership Certificate Program. Lojek will be among the first group to complete the new three-year certificate course, which was a Shape of the Future initiative inaugurated in 2005.

“The College Leaders Program was of particular interest to me because it deals with the leadership of state and local government,” Lojek said. “Hoping to promote progressive and ethical scientific policy, I found this program would arm me with the tools I need to understand how politically aware individuals can catalyze change in our government.”

Because she majored in biology, Lojek said she constantly seeks ways to learn how government works through direct experience and exposure. Last year she interned with Del. Harry R. “Bob” Purkey, R-Virginia Beach, through the Capital Semester Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. The previous summer, she interned with U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes at his Colonial Heights district office.

“This opportunity will be the perfect summer experience before I attend graduate school for public policy this fall,” said Lojek, who is weighing where she will attend.