BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – A West Virginia Wesleyan College senior has earned an exclusive fellowship to intern in the West Virginia Legislature for the 2025 session. Davis Haynes ‘25, of Ripley, West Virginia, is a political science and history double major and a student-athlete on the golf team. 

The Judith A. Herndon Fellowship is a program where undergraduates are selected to participate in the 60-day session as Herndon Fellows. They are assigned to assist a sole legislator from either the Senate or the House of Delegates.

Haynes said, “I feel very blessed and excited about this opportunity. I have always been a ‘West Virginia’ first type of person and this fellowship is giving me a great opportunity to continue that mentality. Wesleyan has helped to shape me into the person I am today. From the various opportunities to engage with civic leaders, meeting with legislators, and lawmakers alike, the wonderful professors at Wesleyan have also helped me prepare for this. 

“Every professor at Wesleyan has had a positive impact on my academic career. Some note-worthy ones would be Dr. Coty Martin who is the coordinator for this program for Wesleyan. He has always pushed me to chase my goals and passion for political science and helped to point me in the direction of achieving this fellowship. Dr. Tamara Bailey has always had high expectations of me and all of her students. She is a professor who sees things in students that they sometimes do not see in themselves and this case is no different with me. Dr. Katherine Antolini served as my academic advisor. She always supported my passion for West Virginia and my abilities to not only study this state but also try and make a difference in my home.”

Haynes plans to attend law school and focus on environmental or energy law. 

“I hope that this fellowship will give me the key foundation and experiences for my long-term goals in life,” he said. “Learning the inner workings of the laws regarding these areas at the legislative level will be a beneficial knowledge base for me to have going into law school, as well as to carry out through my life. I plan to remain in my home state and strive to make a difference that will benefit the people and state.”

As part of the fellowship,  interns are required to perform research and various staff functions. Among other job-related responsibilities, participants are introduced to and develop an understanding of the politics of legislation, legislative research, bill drafting, the role and function of committees and the executive-legislative liaison.

To earn an opportunity to be one of the 10 selected, a person must fulfill these requirements; 

• Full-time undergraduate students of all majors and disciplines from both public and private institutions of higher learning in West Virginia.
• Completed 60 undergraduate hours
• 3.0 GPA or better
• Completed course in political science or extensive public affairs experience

This is the second year in a row that WVWC has had a student placed in the fellowship. James Humen ‘23 participated last year. 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2025 Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan ninth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.