An Oologah High School graduate earned the chance to expertise the ins and outs of Oklahoma legislature first-hand.
Avery Cluck, an Oklahoma State University senior finding out Agriculture Business, is nearing the tip of her legislative internship. Cluck was one among three college students chosen for the internship.
Cluck has been spending Monday via Thursday 8:30 a.m till 4:30 p.m. on the State Capitol in Oklahoma City since February. She will complete her internship on April 28.
Cluck was paired with the agricultural caucus for the internship and is working underneath Representative Danny Sterling. Some of her duties embody; conducting analysis, monitoring committee conferences, researching and drafting responses to constituent inquiries, summarizing studies or payments and aiding with mail and phone contacts, based on the Oklahoma State Legislature web site.
Cluck mentioned her curiosity within the legislature stems from the behind the scenes work. She mentioned there is rather a lot that occurs within the legislature that some may not pay attention to, however which have nice impacts.
“I have a passion for agriculture, so anything that has to do with agriculture policy I’m really interested in,” Cluck mentioned. “I just like the process of it.”
She mentioned a number of the work within the legislature by way of agriculture is defensive, slightly than offensive work like creating new legal guidelines.
“In Oklahoma, we are pretty lucky to not be attacked by (third party organizations like PETA) as much as other states,” Cluck mentioned.
Cluck mentioned this internship is what she hopes to do sooner or later and is trying to discover a job that pertains to public coverage after she graduates. She mentioned her experiences with the legislators helped her develop professionally and personally.
“I feel like connections I’ve made have been really awesome,” Cluck mentioned. “(The representatives) are genuinely invested in us and they want to help us.”
Cluck’s ardour for agriculture got here from her household, she mentioned. Her dad was a Future Farmers of America member and raised hogs. Her grandparents have a pecan and cattle operation on the land their household shares.
Cluck began displaying hogs in 5th grade and mentioned she fell in love with the exercise. She later joined FFA and confirmed lambs all through highschool.
“I was the typical little girl that wanted to be like my dad,” Cluck mentioned.