Hokies on the Hill brings the Capitol Hill experience home

Even for those who grow up in the Washington, D.C., area, life on Capitol Hill is a completely different experience. That’s something that two recent participants in Virginia Tech’s Hokies on the Hill program, which is now accepting applications for its spring 2026 cohort, witnessed first-hand this past spring.

Bradley Jones, who gradauted in May, and rising junior political science major Eliana Michael were part of the 10-student cohort that spent four days a week working different internships on and around Capitol Hill, then met for classes each Friday. While both Jones and Michael grew up in Virginia suburbs near D.C. — in Great Falls and Woodbridge, respectively — each experienced the capital in a new way being so immersed in the day-to-day action of government.

Jones and Michael were chosen to participate in the program through a competitive selection process. Chris Yianilos, vice president of government and community relations at Virginia Tech and an affiliated faculty member in political science, founded the program in 2010.  

“When I was a student at Virginia Tech, there really was no program to help give Hokies a leg up in starting their future careers in Washington, D.C. I was fortunate to get my start in D.C. and have a long career in the U.S. Senate before coming back to the university as a faculty member,” Yianilos said. “It’s a real privilege to be able to work for Virginia Tech and open doors for today’s students. The simple truth is we need more Hokies in D.C. We need more Ut Prosim.”

Yianilos and his team partner with offices to help place highly qualified students in internships in and around Capitol Hill.

“The Capitol Hill experience is really incredible,” said Jones. “We have really great opportunities in the offices to coordinate with different members of the staff, both in D.C. and in the [home] district. I really enjoyed the collaboration aspect, where I could work with the district team to help constituents navigate challenges with federal agencies.”  

Like any study program that takes students away from the campus they are accustomed to calling home, the immersion into Washington was a standout aspect of the experience that helped prepare them for life after graduation.  

“Being able to build that independence away from my home, or my dorm, or my apartment, or with my roommates or classmates was something really big for me,” said Michael, “because I almost think it gives me an edge to think, ‘Oh, I can do this by myself.’”

Jones earned his bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in history. While he was able to work in areas he knew well such as critical minerals — the subject upon which he wrote his capstone paper — he was blown away by the breadth of topics covered in any given day, from supporting individuals with specific medical concerns to plans for retiring and replacing the International Space Station. He interned with U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman ’81, who represents Virginia’s 1st District.

Michael, who interned for U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia's 3rd District, was pleasantly surprised to find herself thrown right into the fray with the rest of the staff on day one.

“It was very much a mutual collaboration in this office,” said Michael. “I was just so grateful to be included in meetings with the congressman, either in Zoom or in person, meetings with the staffers, getting to know about their respective issue areas.”

Jones and Michael knew each other and one other student from their cohort from a prior writing class in Blacksburg. All three applied together and were pleasantly surprised when all three were accepted into the program.

Along with the other students, they interned Mondays-Thursdays at either congressional member offices or Hill-adjacent law firms, lobbying groups, or nonprofit organizations, then convened Fridays for seminars. The Friday seminars are led by Yianilos who also secures guest speakers for key moments during the semester. Past guest speakers have included current and former Members of Congress, White House officials, think tank leaders, congressional staff, and political journalists.

Students also worked on projects such as simulating life as a lobbyist, with feedback from their Virginia Tech professor, who works directly in the field. Just as the federal government is intertwined with a wide range of industries and areas of interest, so is the swath of opportunities for those participating in the program, which is open to students in all majors.

“In this program, I think we’re given a lot of space to really do what we want to do,” said Michael.  

While the students interned in a mix of Republican, Democratic, and nonpolitical offices, the program instilled the importance of having respect for one another, no matter the differences in their backgrounds. Formally, students visited the United States Supreme Court and the floor of the United States Senate. But their first informal group outing was dinner at Good Stuff Eatery, in the shadow of the Library of Congress. Michael believes those excursions were key to building the camaraderie and mutual respect that they carried throughout the program.  

“At the end of the day, we’re all here to succeed,” said Michael. “We all go to Virginia Tech, we all want one another to be the best Hokie we can be.”