Institute of Public Service Students Gain Hands-On Experience Through the Senator James Seward ’73 Summer Internship

As the Hartwick College Institute of Public Service prepares for another year of civic engagement programming, two students have spent the summer helping shape some of its most visible initiatives while gaining firsthand experience in government and public service.

Indigo Shepard ’27 and Lucille Walker ’28 are serving as the 2026 Senator James Seward ’73 Summer Public Service Interns. The paid internship honors the legacy of New York State Senator James L. Seward ’73 by giving Hartwick students opportunities to explore public service while contributing to the institute’s civic engagement efforts throughout the region.

Working alongside Institute Co-Directors Matt Chick, Laurel Elder and Zachary McKenney, Shepherd and Walker spent the summer seeing local government and the legal system in action. They attended Oneonta Common Council meetings, met with Common Council member Carolyn Marks, observed court proceedings and met with Hartwick alumnus and Acting Otsego County District Attorney Chris DiDonna ’10. 

For Walker, a rising junior double majoring in biology and political science and a leader on the Hartwick volleyball team, those experiences have offered a closer look at the people behind public service. 

“Meeting with public servants and elected officials has reinforced just how committed they are to improving their communities,” said Walker. “I hope our programming helps more Hartwick students see that public service is about solving real problems and that their own voices can make a difference.”

The experience has also informed the interns’ work preparing a slate of institute programs for the coming academic year. They have helped launch the third year of the institute’s partnership with The Daily Star, which provides Hartwick students with free digital access to local news, and are helping organize a voter registration kickoff with the Otsego County Board of Elections. At the event, students will be able to register to vote and cast practice ballots using a real optical scan voting machine. 

Shepard and Walker are also helping coordinate seven weeks of voter registration leading up to Election Day, when Hartwick will once again serve as an official polling place. Their work has included organizing local candidate forums, supporting several guest speaker events and helping develop the new America 250 Youth Civic Engagement Video Competition for high school and college students across the county. 

For Shepard, a rising senior sociology major who plans to pursue a doctorate after graduation, helping first-time voters become more comfortable with the voting process has been particularly meaningful. 

“Helping students register to vote is important, but helping them feel confident about voting is just as meaningful,” said Shepard. “Creating a practice ballot and mock voting experience showed me how small steps can make democracy feel more accessible for first-time voters.”

Throughout the summer, Shepard and Walker have also brought a student perspective to the institute’s outreach and event planning, helping its leaders consider how programs can best engage their peers. 

“The Senator James Seward Internship gives students the opportunity to experience public service in ways that simply are not possible in the classroom,’ said Laurel Elder, professor of political science, chair of the Department of Political Science, Law and International Relations, and co-director of the institute. “Indigo and Lucille have become true partners in our work this summer. They have brought tremendous creativity, energy and thoughtful ideas to every project.”

Established in memory of Senator James Seward following his passing in 2024, the internship reflects his lifelong commitment to public service and community leadership. It is one of the institute’s signature experiential learning opportunities, connecting students with government, public policy and civic leadership beyond the classroom.

The Hartwick College Institute of Public Service is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to engaging young people in democracy, strengthening our community through partnerships with local governments and organizations, and inspiring and preparing the next generation of public servants and civic leaders. 

When Hartwick students return this fall, they will encounter voter registration drives, candidate forums, guest speakers and other programs that Shepard and Walker helped bring to life, putting their summer experience in public service to work for the broader Hartwick community.