By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Two Campbellsville University students, Emily Buckman, a senior from Lebanon, Ky., and Jessica Boggs, a Campbellsville University junior from Whitesburg, are two of five Kentucky independent college students selected for a state government internship in Frankfort this semester.

Buckman, daughter of Danny and Sheliah Buckman of Lebanon, is a senior political science major at CU and is doing her internship with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.  She said she applied for the internship “to gain more knowledge of state government affairs and procedures in order to prepare for a career in law and public service.”

Buckman said she had known about the AIKCU state government internship since her sophomore year and knew she wanted to eventually participate in it.

“I chose to do the internship because I wanted to gain hands-on experience within the state government because it is such an integral part of our lives, and I wanted to know more about how it functions and the complexity of it,” she said.

“I have learned about it in the classroom, but nothing compares to actually being a part of it. It is certainly an opportunity students at Campbellsville University should take advantage of,” she said.

Buckman said her work at the Department of Fish and Wildlife has provided her the opportunity to learn how to use the Kentucky Legislation Review System which is the system used for each of the departments to write reviews of bills that they are wanting to introduce and pass during each session. She said she will be assisting in the process.

She has also become familiar with the Legislative Research Commission, and the commission has made her more aware of the daily activities of the legislature and the status of the various bills that have been introduced.

She is assigned to assist the director of administrative services who also serves as the legislative liaison for the department.

Boggs, daughter of Stephen and Brenda Boggs of Whitesburg, is a history major at Campbellsville and is doing her internship at the Kentucky History Center. She is also minoring in English and mass communication.

A 2007 graduate of Letcher County High School, Boggs said she applied for the Frankfort internship because she is interested in pursuing a career in museum work and historical preservation and believed that the internship would allow to further her interest in these areas.

She was chosen for the semester-long internship on the basis of her academic record, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation from CU faculty and staff.

“We are very excited to have Emily and Jessica participate in the Frankfort Legislative Internship Program as CU representatives,” said Max Wise, assistant professor of political science.

“These students are able to get an entire semester of course credit while gaining valuable experience that will help them with their future goals and careers,” Wise said.

“There is no better opportunity for an undergraduate student to take advantage of than participating in an internship and seeing the true inner-workings of government.”

At CU, Boggs is a Presidential Excellence Scholar, member of the Honors Program, secretary of the Collegiate Historians and member of the student newspaper and yearbook staffs.

She attends Premium Baptist Church.

The Frankfort internship program, now being offered for the ninth consecutive year, is sponsored by the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU).  Since its inception, nearly 80 students attending most of Kentucky's independent colleges, have spent a semester in Frankfort working for either selected members of the General Assembly or in state agencies.

The program's major purposes are to expose outstanding college students to public service as a career option and to help them hone already-existing leadership skills, according to Dr. Gary S. Cox, AIKCU's presidents.

Students chosen for the completive program are required to complete 30 hours of work weekly and two academic seminars focused on state government policy-making.  They receive living expense stipends while in the state capital and qualify for a semester of academic credit from their home campuses.

“We're very pleased to have another outstanding group of students come to Frankfort, and I'm certain that they will benefit as much from their experience here as have those who've participated in this program in previous years,” Cox said.

Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,601 students who represent 93 Kentucky counties, 27 states and 31 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report's 2009 “America's Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 22nd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South for the second consecutive year. CU has been ranked 16 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America's Best Christian Colleges®. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his tenth year as president.