Bob Graham Center for Public Service in Review

in review

BOB GRAHAM CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

MAY 2022 1

Other Notable Achievers Destiny Goede (’17), a public leadership minor, now practices law with GrayRobinson in Tallahassee. At UF, she was president of Florida Blue Key and interned for Sen. Marco Rubio and Florida Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen. She served as a Florida Gubernatorial Fellow while completing her UF Law degree in 2020.

Liana Guerra receives the CLAS Horizon Award from Graham Center Director Dr. Matt Jacobs and CLAS Dean David Richardson. The 2020 recognition had been delayed by the COVID pandemic.

The Bob Graham Center for Public Service advances the legacy of former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham by training our students in the skills of effective civic engagement, public leadership, public policy development, and public service.

On a recent professional development trip with University of Florida students to Washington, DC, I met with several of Senator Graham’s former staffers, and reflected on the way they continue growing the Graham legacy in their own careers and support of our current students.

Dean David Richardson of the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and I also had the pleasure of recognizing an outstanding Graham Center alum, Liana Guerra. Liana was very active in Center initiatives, including the Tallahassee internship, before graduating (economics/political science) in 2015. She earned her MBA from UF in 2020. Now she is Chief of Staff for Rep. Darren Soto in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Liana exemplifies the Center’s values in her career and the way she gives back to UF, serving on the Center’s Council of Advisors and happily sharing career advice and her network of contacts with current students.

Our group departed DC after a hectic five days. The students were physically exhausted but emotionally exhilarated by the experiences they shared and the opportunities they now imagine.

Looking back, I’m struck by the impact Bob Graham and his legacy continue to have on multiple generations. I hope this report captures our efforts to continue that legacy of leadership and service. We thank you for your support of the Center and its mission.

Matt Jacobs, Ph.D. Bob Graham Center Director 2

Zachariah Chou (‘20), public leadership minor and former Graham Center photographer, earned the 2020 Society of Professional Journalists best collegiate editorial writing award. He interned with West Wing Writers and now serves as opinions coordinator with Gannett/USA Today.

Mia Arnold (‘18), an international studies major, begins an MBA this fall at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford as a Rotary Foundation Global Scholar. She leaves her position in international public service with the United Nations Foundation.

Matt Barocas (‘21), a history/ political science double major and one of 16 UF student delegates to the Doha Forum in Qatar, was named UF’s second-ever Schwarzman Scholar, considered the “Rhodes of China.” He is completing a master’s in global affairs at Tsinghua University in China.

Emma Sanchez (‘22), the twotime chair of the Graham Center’s Future of Florida Summit and an international studies major/ Arabic language minor, has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Air Force. She will train as a cyberspace operations officer.

FUTURE OF FLORIDA

Summit

The Future of Florida Summit is a signature program of the Bob Graham Center that has established a tradition of statewide intercollegiate political engagement.

The Summit is a student-led initiative that annually convenes students from across Florida’s public and private colleges and universities to address difficult challenges facing the state and nation.

In addition to the University of Florida, private and public colleges and universities represented at past Summits have included Jacksonville University, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, Florida A&M, the University of South Florida, the University of Miami, Santa Fe College, Florida Southern College and the University of North Florida.

Summit Topics 2014—Issues in Higher Education 2015— Online Voter Registration in Florida 2016—Lobbying and Advocacy 2017— Constitutional Revision Commission 2018—Future of Florida’s Environment 2019— Technology and Public Policy 2020— Criminal Justice Reform 2021—Healthcare Policy 2022—Economic Policy

more than

750 attendees

“

At FOF 2020, I got to lead a panel on criminal justice reform. Our speakers were so engaging. All the students were asking such great, pointed questions. We had such a good, constructive conversation, and I just thought that’s what public policy should be —people from different backgrounds coming together into a room and putting together all of their experiences and opinions and ideas to create the most innovative, accessible equitable solutions for a community.

— Hannah Townley, Class of 2021

”

3

INTERNSHIPS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & OTHER

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Internship Programs

172

Tallahassee Internship— Partnership with UF Government and Community Relations, Office of State Relations

26

Washington, DC Internship—Partnership with UF Government and Community Relations, Office of Federal Relations

interns since 2009

interns since 2020

37

fellows since 2017

Gainesville Fellowship— Partnership with City of Gainesville

Careers in Public Service NUMBER OF PROGRAMS (SINCE FALL 2019)

NUMBER OF SPEAKERS

NUMBER OF ATTENDEES

16

27

513

Careers in Public Service is a new professional development series that allows Graham Center alums and other public service professionals to speak directly with UF students about opportunities and careers in public administration and the nonprofit sector.

4

Sofia Mingote (‘22), a political science and telecommunications double major, has served as a Tallahassee intern and participated in the Graham Center’s Civic Scholars research program. She plans to attend law school.

“

The importance of being open to constructive feedback in a professional work setting was the biggest takeaway from my experience as a legislative intern. In the Florida House of Representatives, I learned how to effectively propose legislation to address and impact marginalized communities whose stories I once told. This internship gives you the opportunity to learn about policymaking, political party dynamics, advocacy groups, and social issues.

”

Tallahassee Internship

2019

2020

2021

2022

13

11

10

17

6

11

9

6

6

9

Washington DC Internship City of Gainesville Fellowship

8

Doha, Tallahassee & Washington DC Excursions

39

19

Florida Community Innovation Pilot

4

5

Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy

9

16

The scope of experiential learning opportunities now offered through the Graham Center allows students to apply knowledge and theory from the classroom to real-world settings.

The Center has recently partnered with the UF College of Medicine to offer the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy, a three-month professional development opportunity for community leaders who want to learn more about public health topics.

F L O R I D A H E A LT H P O L LEADERSHIP AC ADE

BOB GRAHAM CENTER FOR PUBLIC UN IVERSI T Y OF F LOR I DA Brett Brattvet (‘24), a participant in our Civic Scholar program and the Future of Florida Summit, hopes to one day work in the FBI or Homeland Security.

He interned in the Washington, DC Office of Congressman Gus Bilirakis.

“

I was tasked with researching bills, taking notes on congressional briefings, and drafting correspondence for constituents.

I witnessed firsthand the billmaking process and understand how funds are appropriated for a budget. As constituents have issues covering many different disciplines, I gained expertise in healthcare, agriculture, and economic policy.

Accomplished women leaders speak annually through the Joan S. Forrest Women in Leadership Forum. The 2022 panelists included (from left) Dr. D’Andra Mull, UF Vice President for Student Life; Olivia Ramos, CEO, Deepblocks; Joan Forrest; Jan Neuharth, Chair and CEO, Freedom Forum; and Stephanie Bailes, President & CEO, Cade Museum. The program was moderated by UF student Sophia Athan and produced by UF student Ana Cavalcante.

In 2019, 16 UF students attended the Doha Forum as guests of the State of Qatar. The Graham Center led the selection process and coordinated the trip. The week-long trip also included meetings with business and government officials, and excursions throughout the country.

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VOT E R AND CI V I C

On Off E NGAG E M EN T &

CAMP U S

CAMPUS REPORT: University Of Florida

As the campus transitioned to a virtual campaign season, the Graham Center became the hub of voter engagement. Civic engagement interns Andy Shodell and Tommy Vu deployed dozens of early voting reminders.

12

point increase in voting rate

509

YOUR INSTITUTION

through the Gator GetOut-the-Vote Coalition of campus organizations

TurboVote users enrolled

on National Voter Registration Day 2020, the second best showing among 200 campuses

88

for the 1,811 TurboVote users enrolled in 2020

%

turnout rate

10k+ early voters

76.7%

in 2020 at on-campus location, a 26% increase

REGISTRATION RATE 84.7%

83.9%

87.6%

2016

2018

2020

2020 Voting Rate

+11.8

Change From 2016

ALL INSTITUTIONS

66% 2020 Voting Rate

©2021 Institute for Democracy & Higher Education

The Graham Center’s voter registration efforts have helped solidify a strong, new partnership with our University Athletic Association.

Center director Dr. Matt Jacobs has joined discussions with UF student-athletes about protecting and promoting the rights and responsibilities student-athletes have as citizens. (UAA photo) 6

Voting, Registration and Yiel Voting, Registration,

The Registration Rate is the percent of your voting-eligible students who registered to vote.

UF President Kent Fuchs signed on to the All In Democracy Challenge, a national, nonpartisan initiative encouraging higher education institutions to increase student civic learning, political engagement, and—especially—voter participation on their campuses. He charged the Bob Graham Center with helping UF fulfill its commitments.

ld Rates and Yield Rates VOTING RATE OF REGISTERED STUDENTS

OpeId6 001535

VOTING RATE

76.7%

58.9%

87.5%

64.9%

49.5%

76.7%

2016

2018

2020

2016

2018

2020

The Voting Rate of Registered Students is the percent of registered students who voted on Election Day. We often refer to this as the “yield” rate.

The Voting Rate is the percentage of eligible students who voted on Election Day. The voting rate is also the product of the registration and yield rates.

“

I thought I reached the civic engagement summit when I became a citizen my sophomore year. I finally made it. As a newly naturalized citizen, who felt the unexplainable joy of voting for the first time, I wanted others to experience that, too.

My most cherished memory is seeing people posting the Gator ‘I Voted Early’ stickers that the Graham Center designed all over social media. It made me tear up because every single sticker represented a story of people who had a reason to vote, just like I did.

I would not be where I am professionally and personally without the Center’s mentorship and their belief in me. The Bob Graham Center’s commitment to helping students find their pathway into public service is not only a remarkable mission, but a successful one, too. The best part about it all is they are just getting started.

— Gus Duran, Class of 2022

”

HARVARD IN ST I T U T E O F PO L I T I C S 4 NATIO N AL CA M PAI G N C O NF E RE N C E

GRAHAM CENTER STUDENT ATTENDEES 2012

Ryan Garcia

2013 Nathan Harvey, Lauren Nikoloff, Joseph diPaolo 2014 Katy Burnett, Frances Chapman 2015

Tyler Richards, Steven Paolini

2016 Natalie Martinez, Priya Kamath 2017 Hali McKinley Lester, Austin Young 2018

Maya Punjwani, Brett Steinfeldt

2019

Mateo Haydar, Guerin Frei

2020 Hannah Townley, Gus Duran 2021 Gus Duran, Andrew Taramykin, David Ott 7

ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH

International Studies Degrees

initiatives

The Graham Center is home to two academic programs: the International Studies major and the Public Leadership minor.

The Public Leadership minor introduces students to concepts of public policy and the role that government action plays in solving real-world problems.

Through the public leadership minor, Lacey Lingelbach (‘21), an environmental science major, learned how she could help Florida’s rural communities better prepare for climate change and mitigate its impacts. Lacey aspires to work in local government agencies on policies specific to climate adaptation and resiliency planning. She is now enrolled in the Master of Public Affairs program within the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

8

“

The International Studies program was a great decision even after graduating. I’m currently a first-year at The George Washington University Law School and accepted a summer internship at the US Court of International Trade in New York. The judge and his clerks were really impressed with the international studies courses and thesis I did at UF, which played a big role in getting an offer without having any law school grades yet.

”

— Payal Majmundar, Class of 2020

The International Studies major provides UF students with the training to understand and engage with global society. Since the major was created in 2012, 707 degrees have been awarded.

Sarah Louis (’22) is a recipient of the Dean’s Medal for Excellence in the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is a political science and African American studies major who was an active participant in Graham Center programs throughout her UF career. She earned an Askew Scholars fellowship to research inequities in the education system made worse by the COVID pandemic. She also served a year as a community development fellow with the City of Gainesville, and was a member of the Bob Graham Center Student Fellows. Sarah served as a Florida Cicerone, the official student ambassadors of the University of Florida, and was president of the Gator chapter of the NAACP.

The Graham Center’s research initiatives at the undergraduate and graduate level develop a student’s analytical abilities to pursue their future interests. Research experience also consistently emerges as a top criterion for employment in competitive positions. Above, Civic Scholar Alejandro Ortiz Lopez presents at the 2022 Graham Center Research Symposium.

Graham Center Civic Scholars is a semesterlong, entry-level Civic research opportunity Scholars that introduces since 2013 undergraduates to quantitative and qualitative research approaches while learning about public policy issues impacting the state of Florida.

The Reubin Askew Scholars initiative identifies an outstanding Askew cohort of UF students Scholars who take courses in since 2013 public policy, receive leadership training, and work with a UF faculty member on a significant research or public service project.

The Preston Haskell Faculty Research Award supports UF faculty Haskell members whose research Scholars will be disseminated since 2018 in a non-academic publication in order to advance broader public understanding of a public policy issue. Recipients are paired with a UF undergraduate student who will take a meaningful role in the research and publication.

The Dissertation Completion Fellowship is a new program for Dissertation graduate students in the UF Fellows College of Liberal Arts and since 2021 Sciences whose research connects to principles of civic engagement and public policy development. Recipients present their research in either a public or student program at the Bob Graham Center.

502

14

70

7

9

E N C O U RAG I N G

Dialogue Debate AND

T HRO U GH A PROVO CATI VE SPEAKER S E RI E S

UF professor of history Dr. Steve Noll is the editor of the newly published ‘Writing for the Public Good,’ a collection of op-eds written by Sen. Bob Graham and former Graham Center director Dr. David Colburn.

Florida Politics The Heart of the Matter

licy discussion Healthcare po gislators Le a id with Flor Senator ll Gayle Harre Senator Aaron Bean

o Tempore Speaker Pr gar Marylynn Ma ive Representat es Ray Rodrigu z

by Ed Jimene Moderated lth Shands CEO, UF Hea

th || 6:30pm September 30 ra Pugh Hall Oco Chick-Fil-A! 6pm | Free 2lWXWh2 Doors open http://bit.ly/ :

link Live stream

10

YEAR

SPEAKER EVENTS

ATTENDEES

2021-22

31

2230

2020-21

18

1735

2019-20

14

1995

Despite the pandemic, the Center continued to provide stimulating public lectures showcasing the research and expertise of a top five public research university. The Center also brought nationally renowned individuals to campus.

Sustainability

Global Affairs

Experts on European history and current affairs from the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences responded quickly with a Graham Center special program on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Social Issues

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CHAIR ROTHM AN FAMILY ITIES IN THE HUMAN

History

Chief Diversity

Officer

V 21 | 5:30PM THURSDAY, NOR FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS PS CENTE CURTIS M. PHILLI

11

“

Civic engagement, public leadership, and public service are principles that I learned as an intern with the Bob Graham Center that I feel I could not have picked up as a student in the classroom.

The Center has directed my energies and strong work ethic toward these real-world experiences, which have taught me how to network with professionals, pose questions to professors about their research, and engage in hands-on activities in public service.

In short, the Graham Center has prepared me for my future by pushing me past my limits, encouraging me to ask questions, and giving me the confidence to enter realworld scenarios.

”

—Aimee Clesi, Class of 2022

PUTTING IT ALL

TOGETHER TOGETHER

Aimee Clesi, the first University of Florida Rhodes Scholar in 22 years and the first woman from UF to ever achieve the distinction, has distinguished herself in nearly every available Bob Graham Center program during her academic career.

She has participated in the Future of Florida Summit, the Tallahassee Internship Program, the UF Federal Relations internship in Washington,

DC, and both the Haskell and Askew awards for undergraduate research.

The Rhodes scholarship, one of the most prestigious academic awards available to American college graduates, will support Aimee as she pursues a doctoral degree at the University of Oxford, continuing the research she began at UF into wrongful conviction and racial disparities in death penalty sentencing.

Bob Graham Center for Public Service bobgrahamcenter.ufl.edu 220 Pugh Hall | PO BOX 112030 296 Buckman Drive | Gainesville, FL 32611 | 352.846.1575 12