For 25 years, UofL has provided students this opportunity to get up close and personal with members of the Kentucky Legislature through the Frankfort Internship Program. In 2023-24, 21 students – the most of any Kentucky university – were paired with a state senator or representative based on their ability to perform supportive tasks such as speech writing, researching bills as well as attending meetings and General Assembly sessions.

The program is an immersive experience for the interns, who take on an active role in government to help make positive change in Kentucky and develop skills they’ll take with them to be successful beyond graduation.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the late nights where we were just sitting and talking about what was coming up the next day with our senator,” intern said. “That was really exciting because that’s when I fully felt like, ‘oh, I’m in a legislative session and this is actually happening. I’m really a part of this.’”

Skills for success

The program was founded by political science professor and UofL legend Phil Laemmle, who connected with and inspired countless students during his 34-year tenure.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that there are thousands of alums in this community who owe their careers to Dr. Laemmle and the Frankfort program,” said Jasmine Farrier, a political science professor who serves as the director of the program.

Hall and Emmy Slaton are two student interns who took part this year and worked with Rep. Rachel Roarx and Rep. Tina Bojanowski, respectively. Hall, a senior who was in her second year of the program, also served as the internship coordinator, acting as a liaison between the interns and their professors during the program.

“It’s a little difficult managing 20 interns who are mostly freshmen who had never stepped foot on the State Capitol before,” Hall said. “I think I’ll definitely take the leadership skills that I got from that experience and transfer those skills over to any of my future jobs.”

As part of her internship tasks, Hall, who is double majoring in communication and political science, focused on expanding her speech writing skills for Roarx to complement her communication background. She also conducted floor amendments research, helped write grant proposals and corresponded with constituents over email.

“I really enjoyed the speech writing,” Hall said. “That was something I had a little bit of experience with, but I didn’t have a lot before coming in. Just working my writing muscles again was really, really fun.”

The internship counts as an academic experience for students to earn credit. In addition to clearing their Tuesday and Thursday schedules to earn their hours in the field, interns are asked to write papers on the political background of their member, what committees their member works on, track a bill their member sponsored and compare the bills to similar ones in other states.

“This is just one example of getting a resume-building experience while you’re at UofL,” Farrier said. “Students learn the hard skills of doing the job well and often doing it with minimal supervision. There’s also the soft skill or set of skills that students learn, and that includes office culture, hierarchy, communication etiquette and the unspoken ways that people interact in a workplace.”

These skills are difficult to teach in a classroom and provide students with an edge as they dive into their careers after graduation. Farrier said students also gain a better understanding of their government through the internship program, which makes them more engaged and educated citizens.

Slaton, a freshman double majoring in political science and history, confirmed her experiences as an intern expanded her knowledge and understanding of government, which made the internship even more impactful for her.

“One of the most rewarding and exciting parts for me was seeing the impact of the research I was doing and then fully understanding what they were talking about in session,” Slaton said. “This was truly an inside perspective, and being knowledgeable on the topics and completely understanding them as well as being able to ask Tina any questions I had was such a good experience for me. I honestly could not be more thankful for it.”

Connections for a brighter future

Another benefit of the program is the network of students who are interested in politics in addition to the members, Farrier said. Students can form bonds with their member or the legislative assistant, who often help them on their paths to success.

“When there is a special bond between the member and their intern or between the legislative assistant and the intern, students can go back to those individuals later and ask for a letter of reference or recommendation that can open up other opportunities,” Farrier said. “In some cases, there are great job opportunities that come directly from the internship. Students can land paying jobs in campaigns, in advocacy groups, even as legislative assistants themselves, and we are especially proud of the students who take this path and turn it into a career.”

OJ Oleka ’10 turned his internship experience into a successful career in politics. Oleka has served as a former deputy treasurer for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and works closely with state and local government agencies in his current work as a senior business development executive at Conduit. His internship experience was pivotal to his successful career.

“My two years as an intern gave me immense insight into how government truly works, creating a deep knowledge and understanding of state government inner workings. It strengthened my desire and love for public service and helped me understand which parts of it I found most interesting and most connected to my skill set and long-term career goals,” Oleka said. “The academic experience as a student provided the outline and the shape to government action; my experience as an intern colored it.”

Hall said the support system among the interns is strong and goes beyond the cohort of students from UofL, giving students a diverse network of students to connect with even after the internship ends.

“We’re interacting with UK interns and KU interns and EKU interns, so we are making connections that essentially span the state,” she said.

Leaders of tomorrow

Hall’s goal is to use her experience from her two years in the Frankfort Internship Program to eventually work in the Department of ����ֱ��, writing legislation as an expert in the field.

“I want to make a positive change for Kentuckians,” Hall said. “I have a lot of connections now with multiple departments within Frankfort, and I have a very good relationship with the people at the Legislative Research Commission, which is where the experts in the field reside. This internship helped me make the connections who will support my search for job opportunities.”

Farrier says the internship program hits the trifecta.

“It’s a win for students. It’s a win for the legislature. And it’s a win for UofL because our students get to show their talents, their diversity and their commitment.”

The Cincinnati native enrolled at UofL. After graduating, he landed a dream job at Great Coasters International, where he spent 16 years designing, selling and overseeing construction of some of the world’s largest, most exciting wooden roller coasters.

His career took a slight turn after the birth of his third and fourth children (twins) in 2011. Pike realized a globe-trotting career and a growing family did not mix well. So, he and three partners started their own company, Skyline Attractions.

“I was looking for a way to continue to be involved in the business that I love but have a little bit more self-direction,” Pike said.

The venture involved a steep learning curve, however. Skyline’s first design was a new concept that combined a ride with an arcade game called Strike-U-Up for two-player teams. One player used a hammer to strike a button, sending their seated teammate up a tower. The first team to get the player to the top would win a prize.

The concept won the Brass Ring Award for best new attraction at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions industry trade show that year, but Pike learned that prizes don’t always turn into sales.

“We sold zero,” he said.

Their next design was a kids’ ride called Crazy Couch, also an award winner.

“We sold five or six of those,” Pike said. “But to be really profitable with a piece of equipment like that, you have to sell five or six a year.”

Skyline’s latest creations, P’Sghetti Bowl kids’ coasters, are a maze of twists and turns on a weld-free track covered with dazzling LED light displays. Pike said they are fun, exciting rides and with two installed at Six Flags parks, he is optimistic about their future.

In addition to their own rides, Pike and his partners continue to do contract work for Great Coasters, with three designs under construction in the U.S., China and Saudi Arabia.

While he admits the roller coaster business has had its ups and downs, Pike still enjoys riding roller coasters, watching them and seeing people get off them. One of his favorite designs is Mystic Timbers at King’s Island in Ohio. Pike enjoyed fitting it around park features such as a railroad, a white-water rapids ride and a lake.

“When you’re restricted in your design choices, it creates challenges that make you work a little harder and I think it results in some really cool rides,” Pike said.

So far, Pike has designed 25 roller coasters for parks in eight countries on three continents and has been involved in building, repairing or improving about half of the world’s wooden roller coasters.

“I love that when I’m gone, my kids will probably be bringing their kids to King’s Island and ride Mystic Timbers,” Pike said. “And my little girls, who are 12 now, will be bragging to their kids, ‘You know, my daddy designed this!’”

The four-day competition in May hosting golf pros, families and rabid fans required a lot of hard work and preparation. It  also was a chance for several alums to show off the skills they learned at UofL, including its College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development and College of Business, whether it was in hospitality, ticketing or security.

“I was fortunate enough to go (to UofL) for my master’s program. It was one of the best decisions of my life,” said Kenny Martin ’16, manager of volunteer operations. “It helped me get started down the right path.

The path to the PGA Championship at Valhalla started years ago in preparation.

“We have to remember this is just a golf course,” said Larry Sinclair ’88, director of hospitality sales. “We have to build a small city that can accommodate thousands and thousands of people.”

Four out of the eight full-time staff members at PGA are UofL alumni. When there’s an event of this magnitude, preparation and teamwork is key. Sinclair, who earned a business administration degree, has been working with the PGA for 20 years. He is involved with everything from selling tents to various companies to making hotel accommodations — and customizing the experience for the fans.

Around 200,000 people attended the tournament. Tickets for the championship were first available in June 2023 and sold out in three days. Natalie Hoppe ’21, the ticket and sales marketing lead for PGA, was in charge of coordinating communication with ticket buyers and marketing the event with various outlets.

While Hoppe focused on getting people to the event, Sinclair, Martin and Zach Miller ’20 centered on what to do with them while they were there.

Miller is the championship spec coordinator,  overseeing security, parking, emergency services and community relations for tournaments. Most of his job required off-site work putting him  in close contact with the community. He worked with surrounding neighborhoods to inform them about the tournament and also coordinated with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the event.

Accommodating all those fans also required a large volunteer presence. It takes around 3,000 volunteers to have a smooth-running operation, and recruiting, assessing and scheduling volunteers are all part of Martin’s role as head of volunteer efforts.

Luckily, Martin could reach out to UofL for help. The sport administration program (SPAD) in the health and sport sciences department offered a unique opportunity for students to connect with the PGA, including a class in which students visited Valhalla to learn different aspects of customer service in the sports world.

“We worked with the University of Louisville to provide customer service. Forty-four students were here each day to help with all our service area,” Sinclair said. “They come out here and administer everything they have learned in the classroom.”

Martin took that SPAD course while he was at UofL and credits the program for helping him climb to where he is today. He is glad to pay it forward with current SPAD students.  

“I never envisioned myself working with golf but that class opened the door for me and one connection led to the next and eventually led to where I am today,” Martin said. “I fell in love with working these golf tournaments.”

Valhalla also got a boost from two UofL Golf Club employees. Superintendent Noah Pier and Assistant Superintendent Adam Fisher joined the Valhalla crew for the championship. The UofL alums, employees and student volunteers each played a different but important role in the tournament’s success,  but many fans wouldn’t recognize names such as Sinclair, Hoppe, Martin or Miller since they’re all behind the scenes. One UofL alum, however, made his name known on the course – former Cardinal golfer Adam Hadwin ’09, who has been on the PGA circuit for more than a decade. Hadwin, ranked as the No. 49 golfer in the world, finished the 2024 PGA Championship tied for 60^th at four under par.

For Louisville native Hoppe, who was working the tournament for the first time, it was a culmination of everything she’d been striving toward since her time on campus. Her favorite part was seeing what the tournament does for the city.

“Being from Louisville and seeing how much the city (supported) the event and how excited everyone was for the championship, just knowing my team and I have all been a part of it for the last two years, it (was) fun to see it all come together,” Hoppe said.