Legislative Internship Program: Kathryn Carter
Kathryn Currie Carter was one of only 12 students selected to participate in the 2019 Legislative Internship Program at the North Carolina General Assembly. Now in its 26th session, the program is administered by and includes classes from NC State’s Department of Political Science. It is open to students from all North Carolina colleges and universities.
Kathryn was a visiting student at NC State during the internship program. She graduated from Meredith College in 2020 with a dual major in criminology and political science with a concentration in pre-law and a minor in sociology. She is pursuing her J.D. at Campbell Law School and planning a 2023 graduation.
Why did you want to be a legislative intern?
From a young age, I decided I wanted to be an attorney like my grandfather but specifically as a criminal lawyer. With this goal in mind, I wanted to take as many criminology classes as possible. I was required to take a political science class as a freshman and, as luck would have it, my professor was Dr. McLennan. Within the first week, I began to see just how interwoven politics and law can be and how interesting it was to me. The internship was an opportunity of a lifetime for me. Not only did I get an in-person glimpse into political science and our society, but I also had a first-hand look at how our legislature works. Working in a place with the people who spend every day writing and drafting laws for our state could not have been a better fit for me.
What was the most valuable part of this internship program for you?
I was placed in the office of Senate Majority Whip, Senator Rick Gunn. As part of his staff, both Senator Gunn and his Legislative Assistant, Karen Johns, ensured that I was part of meetings or a spectator during Senate session so that I could see exactly how our Legislature works. Our office constantly met with constituents, lobbyists, and other senators. If not in a meeting, we were always drafting and preparing bills to be put on the Senate Floor. This experience was invaluable and it afforded me the opportunity to meet many influential people as well as constituents. After my spring semester internship ended, I was able to continue my work with Senator Gunn through the summer and my senior year in college. After graduation, I stayed on as temporary legislative assistant.
Did you have a favorite professor?
Dr. David McLennan stands out as one of my most memorable professors. I was his student both at Meredith and during the internship at NC State. It was through him that I learned of the internship at the General Assembly. He has a way of teaching political science that grabs one’s attention. Dr. McLennan is a professor and a political analyst and he has frequently served as an expert analyst for many news outlets locally, statewide, and nationally. He is also the founder and director of the Meredith Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion among North Carolina voters.
Each legislative intern cohort is made up of students from schools all over the state. Did you like that aspect of the program?
Yes! I was the only one from Meredith in the cohort, so being able to meet students from other schools all over the state was amazing. It was enlightening to hear different stories about their colleges and their journey into politics. My group would have lunch together at the GA or meet up after class to grab pizza. By the end of the internship, I made many close friends with whom I still keep in contact.
What is your current position?
I am a first-year student at Campbell Law School. During our first year, we are not allowed to have jobs. As each day passes, I understand why as the majority of my time is spent studying, reading cases, and re-reading cases. I find the different types of law that we are studying to be very interesting. I have learned a lot in the short time that school has been in session and I find myself excited to get up and go to school every day. I always thought that I wanted to be a criminal lawyer, but recently I have fallen in love with civil procedure. The next three years are sure to be exciting.
Do you have any advice for current students who are considering applying for this internship program?
Go for it! The experience at the General Assembly is one that I will take with me and talk about for the rest of my life. Being able to work with Senator Gunn and Ms. Johns opened up so many doors for me and afforded me an accomplishment that I will be proud to include on my resume. This internship is an experience of a lifetime.
