Grads elect to intern at Illinois House of Representatives

They came to Knox College and matured together in the classrooms of Knox's politically historical campus. Now they sit side by side on a bench in Seymour Hall, pondering their next venture and not even thinking that their friendship may be put through the wringer.

Amanda Wallen '07, a political science major, has elected to go to Springfield to the Illinois Legislative Intern Program, assisting the Democrats in the State Senate. Donovan Griffith '07, a political science and anthropology/sociology major, will work for the Republicans in the House of Representatives.

Early on, each chose different political affiliations. Having grown up in a small town, Wallen said she decided during her high school internship with State Representative John Sullivan to pursue a career in politics. "That is when my whole interest in political science began," she says. Wallen followed that internship with another in Washington D.C. for U.S. Senator Barack Obama in 2006.

Yet her experience in Washington D.C. gave her a new appreciation of where she comes from. "I always thought I wanted to live in Chicago or Washington D.C., but I?m devoted to downstate Illinois," she says.

Griffith, too, said he is devoted to downstate Illinois. "I would love it if this internship rolled over, and I was able to stay on and keep working with the legislators or maybe on a campaign."

He credits his ability to multitask with his Knox experience. "With student senate, a radio show, basketball team, Republican club?just finding personal time?Knox taught me not just how to multitask, but how to find what I want and how to do it."

The Illinois Legislative Intern Program has been allowing students to experience state government first-hand by working as an Illinois Legislative staff intern with legislative leaders for more than 30 years. Wallen and Griffith are two of only sixteen interns selected this year for the program.

Their workplace, the state Capitol, will also be their classroom, where they will earn eight graduate credits from the University of Illinois?Springfield. For ten and a half months, Wallen and Griffith will work full time as professional legislative members working with the Legislative Research Unit or the General Assembly.

While most think that an internship consists of harmless chores supporting stretched-too-thin office staff, Griffith and Wallen say they do not care how menial their tasks will be.

"I told them I didn't care if I made coffee or licked stamps. But actually, we will be doing a lot of research and bill analyzing," Wallen says.

Despite their growing divide, they cannot imagine becoming real enemies.
"We have different ideas, but Knox's faculty and advisors taught us to interact with a diverse population," Griffith says. "We've been classmates for four years, and now we both have this privilege. It is a great way to get a start in politics."

Will their friendship prevail over Illinois' House of Representatives political divisions?

"We?re still friends," Wallen says. "We talk a lot. As a matter of fact, I think Donovan was the third person I called when I got the job."

Wallen and Griffith both say they will continue to hang out.  Their banter volleys and they trade off finishing each others' sentence. "We can be the examples of republicans and democrats getting along. Our Knox experience completely prepared us for this. We learned how to interact and work with other people."

Wallen adds. "We learned to express our beliefs. Working with the Knox professors and learning how to not judge people, to work with different kinds of people without taking over?I?m a better communicator now."

Both Wallen and Griffith spent a lot of energy preparing for the interview phase of the application process. They each devoted time each day to reading the Chicago Tribune and Peoria Journal Star to keep abreast of governmental affairs of Illinois.

"The Career Center was great," Griffith says of the Knox Center for Career and Pre-Professional Development. "They helped us with mock interviews and knowledge of state issues. Believe me it is pretty intimidating to walk into a room with a small desk and one microphone to face a dozen people with microphones asking questions to see how you handle yourself under pressure or if you can think on your feet."

A view of Wallen or Griffith sitting in a chair or at a table reading the Chicago Tribune might appear as relaxed, even nonchalant. But it was an investment in their future. And that future started when they walked across the stage and received their bachelor's degrees from Knox in June.

"We have options," Wallen adds. "We can go to grad school, to law school or stay in the legislative branch of the state government."