Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Stephen F. Austin State University’s Tara Bocock, a senior political science major and pre-law minor in SFA’s Department of Government, served as the university’s inaugural representative in The University of Texas System’s Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., during the spring 2024 semester.
“The Archer Fellowship Program is a transformative experience that develops students' confidence, professional networks and vision for how they can positively impact not only their lives but also the lives of their families and communities,” said Christine Anderson, assistant director of admissions and campus relations for the Archer Center. “We bring talented students to Washington and help them develop into effective leaders for their communities and the world.”
Founded in 2001, the Archer Center serves as the UT System’s Washington campus and provides talented undergraduate and graduate students from across the UT System with the opportunity to live, learn and intern in the United States’ capital. The purpose of the program is to educate the next generation of leaders for local, state, federal and international service, according to the Archer Center website.
The fellowship program, established by the UT System in conjunction with former U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, gives students a sense of direction and the tools necessary to launch their respective careers. Archer Fellows make and maintain social and professional contacts that can lead to continued internship opportunities and jobs after graduation.
During their time in the program, participants intern with an organization of their choosing based on their professional and academic ambitions. Undergraduate Archer Fellows also earn 15 hours of in-residence credit for their experience in Washington in either the fall or spring semester. Graduate Archer Fellows earn nine hours of in-residence credit during the summer term.
Pioneering a path
Since joining the UT System in September 2023, SFA has benefited from numerous services and opportunities — the Archer Fellowship Program among them.
“The Archer Fellowship offers life-changing opportunities for students like Tara Bocock to combine their academic studies with real-world practical experience in an internship in Washington related to their career goals and aspirations,” said Dr. Steven Galatas, SFA associate professor of government and the university’s Archer Fellowship Program campus coordinator. “SFA’s participants also interact with their colleagues from other UT System institutions, enriching their appreciation of the diversity of Texas while showing their counterparts from other UT System institutions what it means to be a Lumberjack and the core values of SFA.”
For Bocock, a native of Lufkin, the fellowship wasn’t just a chance to expand her studies and cement her desire to pursue law school. It also forged a new tradition of excellence for SFA students to follow.
“Being the first Archer Fellow from SFA felt like pioneering a path for my university, carrying the pride and responsibility of representing my institution in the nation's capital,” she said. “It was an opportunity to showcase the unique perspectives SFA students bring to the table as well as encourage future candidates through stories of my wonderful experience.”
Although she was nervous at first, Bocock quickly was comforted by the collective humility and eagerness to learn from others. The cohort was made up of 48 students from various majors and minors, which lent knowledge of the intersection between business, health and art with public policy, all while providing different perspectives across the political spectrum.
Along with her political science and pre-law studies, Bocock previously was bar manager at Roma Italian Bistro and interned for Tatum and Tatum Attorneys at Law in Lufkin. The combination of the two instilled her passion for worker’s rights and her pursuit of law school with a focus on employment law.
Her interests led her to intern during the fellowship with the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase efficiency and trust in government through various leadership training programs for high-level government employees.
The leadership lessons Bocock listened in on during the internship provided an understanding of the inner workings of different government agencies and specific tactics.
During the fellowship, Bocock regularly interacted with senior executive public service employees across every government agency during various training programs. During these programs, she became inspired after learning that helping agencies thrive rather than working against them will lead to an improved government. This experience clarified her career goal of working for the National Labor Relations Board.
“I learned that I am capable of following my dreams,” Bocock said. “It has been my goal to participate in the protection of labor and employment rights, but balancing full-time work with my studies has posed challenges in advancing to the next stage and elevating my future prospects. Thankfully, the Archer Fellowship Program has solidified my path by increasing my confidence, connections and experience for law school and beyond.”
A new cohort
Following a record application year from all nine UT System academic institutions, three SFA students were selected as Archer Fellows for the 2024-25 academic year: Jada Cartwright, a criminal justice major from Lockhart; Casper Dirkx, a political science major from Spaarndam, Netherlands; and Nathan Lyons, a political science major from Lufkin.
Additionally, Allyson McCutcheon, an SFA master’s degree candidate in national security studies from Nacogdoches, was selected for the Graduate Archer Fellowship Program this summer.
“SFA Lumberjacks belong in Washington, D.C., as representatives of the East Texas region,” said Laura Ferguson, communication manager of the Archer Center. “These young leaders bring important perspectives and lived experiences to the conversation, and the Archer Fellowship Program is stronger because of it.”
For more information, visit archercenter.org.