Our Students
So, what do Hicks Honors students do?
Engagement is one of the Hicks Honors College's five areas of student development. We encourage students to take learning outside the classroom, and love seeing the different opportunities our students find along the way! Here are a few ways our students have gotten involved both in and outside the UNF community:
"Senator, My Chickens Aren't Laying Eggs!"
Hicks Honors College Student Naomi Boyer recently had the opportunity to intern in Tallahassee for a semester in Senator Clay Yarborough's office. Senator Yarborough represents Nassau County and part of Duval County, and while she worked there, Naomi performed a variety of administrative tasks such as answering phone calls and emails. Naomi learned many things, but she believes the most important thing she learned was that it is hard, but very important, to have patience. She credits this to answering phone calls about, "the good, the bad, the ugly, and about chickens not laying eggs."
On a more fun note, Naomi mentioned that her favorite part of the internship was the parties hosted by lobbyists since they were "a good way to explore Tallahassee, meet amazing people, and enjoy wonderful (typically free) food." She also happened to bump into a close friend during her internship and found that it was fun to reconnect with them, as well as make new friends during this experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us Naomi!
Learn more about the Legislative Scholars internship.

State Representatives like Girl Scout Cookies too!
Gavin Gottschalk also had the opportunity to spend a semester in Tallahassee where he worked in Representative Jessica Baker's office in the Florida State Capitol. There, he assisted with organizational tasks, answered phone calls, and interacted with many different groups and individuals from Representative Baker's district. Gavin also had the incredible opportunity to sit in on meetings and committees where he was able to learn more about how state politics function.
In addition, Gavin learned how to, "navigate difficult situations wherein people are passionate about an issue, but you must respectfully disagree with them," thanks to the staff he worked with. Gavin also mentioned that, "My favorite part of the experience, aside from the amazing people I was able to meet, was the satisfaction of being able to put work and effort into something over the course of hours, days, or even weeks, in order to see if finally etched into the Florida Statutes." He also enjoyed bumping into Representatives and Senators in the elevator, one of which broke the typical awkward elevator silence by, "going on a tangent regarding girl scout cookies and Chick-Fil-A," which showed Gavin "how human they truly were."
We're so glad you had such an unforgettable experience, Gavin!
Learn more about the Legislative Scholars internship.