University of Mississippi senior Adam Blackwell of Natchez demonstrates with friends and co-workers on the steps of the United States Supreme Court Building after the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8.
OXFORD, Miss. – When Adam Blackwell of Natchez enrolled at the University of Mississippi three years ago, like many new college students, he was indecisive about his future.
But he relied on one consistent piece of advice from family and friends: Don’t be afraid to try new and different things. He found special support for his mantra as a member of UM’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.
“The Honors College stresses the importance of expanding your worldview, taking risks and experiencing the world with a citizen-scholar perspective,” Blackwell said.
A huge step in that direction came this summer when Blackwell was awarded an honors college fellowship to help support his participation in the university’s Washington Internship Experience program. He served his three-month internship in the Finance Department of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C.
“Through my summer internship, I gained an immense amount of work experience and knowledge in the political field,” said Blackwell, who is a member of UM’s Lott Leadership Institute. He is slated to complete his degree in May, with a major in public policy leadership and minors in religious studies and political science.
“While In D.C., I also had the chance to meet people from many different places and to interact and learn. Overall, my summer experiences have greatly expanded my worldview and knowledge. I’ve been able to find an area that I would certainly be happy working in, and I met some really great current leaders, as well as future leaders. I’ve also made some great contacts that will be imperative when it’s time for me to enter the job market.”
And he witnessed history in the making.
“Being able to stand on the steps of the Supreme Court Building as they announced their decision on DOMA and Proposition 8 was certainly one of the highlights of the summer,” he said.
There was also the unexpected.
“One of the biggest surprises is how easily I adapted to and fell in love with living in D.C.,” he said. “I’m from a small town; Oxford is a small town, and, until this summer, I had never stayed out of Mississippi for more than two weeks. It’s been very surprising how easy the transition was for me and how much I truly loved living there.
“Another surprise would definitely be the number of friends I made. The summer goes by so quickly, and it’s often hard to make friends in a large city, but I didn’t have any problems.”
Summing up his internship experience, Blackwell said that while he is unsure of his long-term career goals, he knows he wants to be in a career of service to others and he wants to live in D.C., at least for a while.
“I want to work to create positive change, whether that means I work for a nonprofit, in higher education or work to elect officials,” he said. “After moving away for a while, I would love to move back to Mississippi one day and work to bring about effective change.”
The Washington Internship Experience and the New York Internship Experience are coordinated through UM’s Division of Outreach and Continuing Education. Program Director Laura Antonow highly recommends them.
“The Washington Internship Experience and the New York Internship Experience provide a structured educational program with an extensive orientation, great housing and a cohort environment in which students really seem to thrive,” she said.
A graduate of Cathedral High School in Natchez, Blackwell said he decided the university was his college choice after attending UM’s Summer College for High School Students.
“After that summer, I felt like a part of the Ole Miss family. The Trent Lott Leadership Institute, the honors college and the welcoming atmosphere were all drawing factors. I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything. I’ve made lifelong best friends, and I’ve had the opportunity to help create lasting, effective change.”
Blackwell’s honors include listing on the Chancellor’s Honor Roll and earning membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the university’s highest academic honor across all disciplines. Last year Blackwell was a finalist for the prestigious national Truman Scholarship.
“Being a Truman Scholar finalist would not have been possible without the amazing support of the honors college and the university as a whole,” he said.
For more information on the WIE and NYIE programs, visit http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/. To learn more about the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Lott Leadership Institute, visit http://www.honors.olemiss.edu/ and http://www.lottinst.olemiss.edu/.