An Aspiring Lawyer Spends a Semester at the Indiana Statehouse
Kyla Wolfe, an agricultural economics and political science junior from Oaktown, IN, spent the spring 2025 semester serving the State of Indiana. As an Indiana House of Representatives Intern, she reported to the Indiana State Capitol building starting January 4th instead of returning to the Purdue campus!
Kyla first learned about the opportunity from the Department of Political Science’s internship coordinator during her constitutional law class. She applied for the position, which included three letters of recommendation, a writing sample and a resume. Kyla was thrilled to get the offer after the interview stage.
During the semester, she has served Representative Jim Pressel of District 20, Representative Michelle Davis of District 58 and Representative Heath VanNatter of District 38. Kyla has answered constituent phone calls, met with different lobbyist groups and attended an abundance of meetings and events.
Kyla shared, “I have learned many skills during this internship. To begin, I learned the level of professionalism required in the world of politics. I have also gained collaborative and leadership skills from watching my Representatives work with lobbyist groups across the state to push legislation through.”
She summarized her experience with these words, “This internship has been instrumental in shaping my career path. When I began, my primary goal was to gain valuable experience in Indiana law, and I have certainly achieved that. As an aspiring lawyer, I’ve had the unique opportunity to engage with some of the most prestigious law firms in Indiana, where I gained invaluable insights into the steps I need to take to advance my academic career. I’ve forged connections with influential individuals in the legal profession and uncovered opportunities I hadn’t previously known existed. Additionally, I’ve learned about the House of Representatives’ law school tuition reimbursement program, which is now a key consideration as I plan my next steps in my legal journey.”
