By Ian Wesselhoff 

T hanks to her demonstrated commitment to service,  junior political science major Mia Simmons was recently awarded the Reagan Institute Civic Leaders Fellowship – a six-month program designed for students dedicated to strengthening civic life and bringing forth positive change. 

Simmons is one of 25 students to earn the fellowship from a nationwide pool of nearly 200 applicants, and she is the first from Georgia College & State University to ever be selected. 

“When I got the email, I was a little bit shocked,” she said. 

The fellowship will give Simmons the opportunity to meet and be mentored by established leaders in a variety of fields, including government, business and journalism. 

“I want to do anything I can to best serve my community after graduation, so I think this will be a good pathway for that,” Simmons said. 

As a Student Government Association senator, Simmons votes at weekly SGA meetings and represents student organizations, helping them to receive funding. Along with her peers, she was able to successfully write legislation on raising the minimum wage for student workers on campus. 

“I was honored to be a key player and grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for fellow students,” Simmons said. 

In her hometown of Gainesville, Georgia, Simmons served as a poll worker her junior year of high school, and she continues to serve the Hall County Elections Office four years later. She is completing the Election Administration Certificate at Georgia College, which takes students through 12 credit hours of courses related to the election process – including an internship in election administration. 

The Election Administration Certificate was the first academic certificate of its kind in Georgia, and it is one of just a few nationwide. 

Through the certificate, students have the opportunity to gain experience working the polls in local or state elections, engaging in hands-on public service. 

“The average age of poll workers is in the 60s or 70s, depending on the state,” said Claire Sanders, senior instructor of political science at Georgia College. “We encourage students, especially younger students, to get involved in the process.” 

Sanders, who runs the Election Administration Certificate program, has taught Simmons in three separate classes, and she says Simmons’ work ethic and approach to her studies in political science sets her apart. 

“She’s an exceptional student,” Sanders said. “We’re just all very proud of the hard work that she puts into her courses and also to serving her community.” 

Simmons and 24 other fellows from around the country will take three fully-funded trips throughout the academic year – two to the Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C. and one to the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California – participating in leadership workshops and behind-the-scenes tours. 

She and the other students will also meet monthly via Zoom to connect with speakers and others at the Reagan Institute. 

On top of the fellowship, certificate and organizations, including her role as co-president of GCSU’s Turning Point USA chapter, Simmons was involved in the Leadership Academy and is starting her first semester in the Georgia Education Mentorship Program. 

“Because it’s such a small university, I feel like I have more opportunity to do those things,” Simmons said. 

Though she remains uncertain about her exact career plans, she hopes the Civic Leaders Fellowship will help her narrow her choices. 

“That’s why I really wanted to do this,” Simmons said. “To meet some renowned speakers and really hear from them and see if I can find my niche area within political science.”

Header Images: Mia Simmons is involved in numerous campus organizations, including the Student Government Association. (Photos by Anna Gay Leavitt) As a Civic Leaders Fellow, Simmons visited the Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mia Simmons)