Kayley Corley

University of Arkansas – Fort Smith student Kayley Corley of Booneville will have the opportunity to spend a summer in Washington, D.C. as part of a prestigious fellowship through the office of Congressman Steve Womack.

 

Womack announced April 6 that Corley, a senior, has been selected to serve as the 2017 John Paul Hammerschmidt (JPH) Fellow.

 

The JPH Fellowship was established in 2013 in conjunction with UAFS and is named for former Arkansas Representative John Paul Hammerschmidt (1966-1993), who passed away on April 1, 2015.  It is geared towards highly-motivated college students with an interest in public service and will allow outstanding Third District students to experience the legislative process firsthand in Congressman Womack’s Washington, D.C. office. 

 

“The JPH Fellowship is a small way to honor the life and legacy of a man that did so much for the Third District Arkansans, particularly our students,” said Womack.  “I look forward to welcoming Kayley into our office this summer!”

 

Dr. Paul B. Beran, UAFS chancellor, praised Corley’s work ethic and expressed gratitude towards Womack’s office for the fellowship.

 

“I have taught Kayley personally in my Chancellor’s Leadership class and have worked with her closely throughout her undergraduate career,” said Beran.  “She is an exceptional, motivated student with a bright future ahead of her, and I am excited that she will have this opportunity to pursue her passion for politics in the nation’s capital.  As always, we are very thankful for Congressman Womack affording such a valuable opportunity to our students through this fellowship.”

 

Corley, a political science major, attended UAFS on the Chancellor’s Leadership Council scholarship and has led a university team in competing in Up to Us, a nationwide competition to raise awareness on college campuses about the national debt, for three consecutive years. She is currently interning for U.S. Sen. John Boozman.

 

She said she was excited to participate in the fellowship.

 

“I’ve never been to D.C. before, and after serving in Senator Boozman’s Fort Smith office, I wanted to get a feel for how things worked in Washington,” Corley said. “This opportunity will be a capstone for all the work I’ve done here at UAFS. It will allow me to take in everything I’ve learned throughout my four years here and put it into practice in a way that I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.” 

 

John Paul Hammerschmidt Fellows will earn college credit for completing a strict curriculum that emphasizes hands-on activities that  highlight the inner workings of the U.S. House of Representatives, including conducting extensive legislative research, attending hearings, and monitoring activity on the House floor, as well as assisting with constituent communications and general office matters.  Congressman Womack hopes to expand the fellowship to other Third District institutions in the future.

 

About the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at UAFS are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at UAFS, visit www.uafs.edu.