Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Two recent Stephen F. Austin State University political science graduates — Miguel Koch from Allen and Trent Bush from Timpson — represented the university in the Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., during the fall 2025 semester. They joined peers from across The University of Texas System and got a front-row seat to the policymaking process through the elite program.
“The Archer Fellowship Program exposes students to real-world policymaking and fine-tunes the students’ focus on their career goals and objectives,” said Dr. Steven Galatas, SFA associate professor of government and the university’s Archer Fellowship Program campus coordinator. “In the program, students handle diverse and, at times, contradictory positions, attitudes and beliefs about policies that are important to the student. Students often return with greater self-confidence, leadership skills and appreciation for civic life.”
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.
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 Archer Fellowship Program, established by the UT System in conjunction with former U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, provides students a sense of direction and the tools necessary to launch their respective careers. Archer Fellows make and maintain social and professional connections that can lead to continued internship opportunities and jobs after graduation.
Trent Bush
Bush, who interned in the office of U.S. Rep. Thomas Tiffany of Wisconsin’s 7th District, gained firsthand experience on Capitol Hill during what he considered a period of personal and professional growth.
“I made friends that I believe I will keep the rest of my life,” Bush said. “I saw mountains be turned to molehills through the efforts of a few, and I know that I can make that kind of change myself now. It broadened my horizons and showed me that there is no right path. I don’t believe you can be an Archer Fellow and remain the same.”
Bush cites the government shutdown, which temporarily removed him from the fast-paced environment of Congress he had traveled to Washington to experience, as his most challenging internship obstacle. Despite the disruption, the internship provided Bush with a sense of community among his UT System peers, whom he described as driven, collaborative and supportive.
“These were 47 of the most intelligent, driven and competent people I have ever met,” Bush said about his peers. “They were wonderful and so willing to discuss everything they were passionate about — everything from environmentalism and conservation to the discrepancies in power level of various Marvel characters from comics and the films. I learned that being approachable is a key to understanding. Being able to meaningfully engage with your peers is just as important as everything you learn.”
Bush is preparing for law school in the fall. He said he applied to some schools he previously didn’t think would accept him in part due to encouragement from those he encountered during the fellowship.
“It felt like mentors living my dreams were coming out of the woodwork,” Bush said. “I had former admissions staff members at some of the best law schools in the country ask to look over my application materials. I got advice from several powerful attorneys about where I should apply for specific types of future practice and what they looked for out of new hires. There are as many opportunities as you care to grab hold of in that program.”
Miguel Koch
For Koch, who interned in the office of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the Archer Fellowship went from a leap of faith to one of the best choices he’s made as a college student.
“For me, the fellowship meant having the privileged opportunity to grow my career interests in the heart of the country while getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things,” Koch said. “I would have never imagined spending my last semester in college working in Washington, but deciding to take a leap of faith and seeing what would happen ended up being one of the best choices I have made while at SFA.”
According to Koch, the most difficult aspect of the fellowship was navigating the nation’s capital and adjusting to the vastly different culture than what he’s accustomed to in Texas. However, fellow Texans helped him acclimate.
“I loved being able to interact with constituents from Texas while working in Washington,” Koch said. “Being reminded of home while spending three months away helped me remember why I love Texas so much.”
Koch plans to attend law school next year with the goal of becoming a trial attorney. Interacting with peers who shared similar ambitions strengthened his commitment to this path.
“As an Archer Fellow, I was surrounded by like-minded individuals both inside and outside the cohort who also would like to attend law school,” Koch said. “Sharing my aspirations with them and learning the paths they plan to follow helped strengthen my future career goals.”
A new cohort
Building on a successful showing in the fall 2025 Archer Fellowship, SFA is set to send more students to experience this monumental opportunity.
Barret Williams, an economics major and political science minor from Wake Forest, North Carolina, is currently serving as an Archer Fellow during the spring 2026 term. In addition, Klayton Kent, a master’s student in national security and intelligence, will represent SFA during the summer 2026 Graduate Archer Fellowship Program.
For more information, visit archercenter.org.