STUdent Julia Evans Selected for NB Legislative Internship Program
Julia Evans is excited to gain hands-on experience in New Brunswick’s political and public policy landscape.
The third-year Political Science and Human Rights student was selected as one of the 2022 participants in the New Brunswick Legislative Internship Program (NBLIP).
“This internship is a such a meaningful opportunity,” Evans said. “Working as a Legislative Intern, I can take my theoretical knowledge of politics and apply this foundation to real and pressing public policy issues facing New Brunswick today.”
Evans, who is from Grand Bay-Westfield, NB, is also on STU’s Moot Court team, where she won the Top Speaker Award at Regionals in her first year of mooting. Last season, her team competed at Nationals and their written brief placed seventh of the 100+ submitted briefs. She says her experience on the Moot Court team will be useful in her new role.
“My academic endeavours at St. Thomas have enhanced my interest in politics and public policy development. My Political Science and Human Rights courses have encouraged critical thinking and thoughtful discussion. Moreover, my involvement in Moot Court has further reinforced my passion for advocacy and my ability to work with people of contrasting viewpoints. I look forward to applying and strengthening these skills and interests that I have developed at STU, through my work at the legislature.”
The NBLIP was launched in 2019 to give students an immersive experience that would add a practical element to their in-class learning. Under the supervision of the Office of the Legislative Assembly, interns conduct research and provide other assistance to members of the Legislative Assembly, legislative committees, and to officers of the Assembly. This provides students with practical knowledge of the legislative process and the many roles of its members, and allows them to be involved in public policy development. Two students are selected for the program each year. Felix Rioux of the Université de Moncton was the second student selected for 2022.
“To be immersed in the daily working of these institutions is to appreciate how they operate in the particular events and problems of contemporary life,” said Dr. Tom Bateman, director of the NBLIP and political science professor at St. Thomas University.
“A legislative intern is exposed to the cross-pressures bearing on governments and MLAs, and how new ideas and challenges interact with established laws, norms, and administrative structures—it’s a bracing and intriguing practical introduction to the world of democratic government.
Interns this year will conduct research and constituency work for MLAs from all party caucuses, and can also be called upon for work for legislative officers like the Auditor General and legislature committees like Public Accounts.