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"I know that my staff and I certainly learned from these talented students, as they shared their perspectives and experiences with us," President Sullivan said. Professor Allison Pugh, one of Mitchell's profes- sors, encouraged him to apply for the internship. He submitted a résumé and essay explaining his interest in sociology and his credentials for being consid- ered for the honor. After a series of interviews, Mitchell was awarded the internship. He said the opportunity to engage and interact with key members of the university's administration was a leading factor in his decision to apply for the internship. "When I heard what the interns would be doing, working with the Board of Visitors, working with event planning and strategic planning, I became really drawn to it," Mitchell said. "I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about the uni- versity I've been involved in and take that next step forward in my professional career as well." Mitchell, the second student-athlete to earn one of the coveted internships, was also interested in standing up for UVa's student-athlete contingent. "I felt it was a community that I wanted to repre- sent," Mitchell said. "Athletics has been a big part of my experience over the last four years, and I feel it was part of why I got the internship. My research project focused in on student-athletes. "All off the other interns have done things that have had immediate impact. I was looking at essen- tially scholarship athletes and the effects of financial aid and how that plays out. Although my research might not have immediately affected policy, [it may lead to the administration saying] let's take a look at the financial aid structure, let's take a look at our retention rates among student-athletes or look at the way that we recruit and the way we put together programs and packages for athletes that aren't on full scholarship." The response to Mitchell's research questions may not realize immediate change — he took a topic that will need to be addressed going forward as budgets get tighter, and the community, academic and financial demands on student-athletes increase. Still, Mitchell said he feels it did open the conversa- tion for the administration to take a deeper look at financial aid. "I'm a couple weeks out of that final project, I'm not sure what impact it's going to have yet, but I think it will make a difference." An added benefit of working with the university leadership, the unique position of working with a di- verse group of business and civic leaders, especially within the Board of Visitors, had a huge impact on the fourth-year whose degree includes a minor in global culture and commerce. "I wouldn't say the president's office is exclu- sively business-related," Mitchell said, "but I saw a lot of connections there, working in the office of event planning or graduation planning, working with the Board of Visitors, seeing how they deliver logical decisions on a day-to-day basis and seeing how that plays into the decisions that need to be made in any other business." For Mitchell, the whole process was a great learn- ing experience. "It was interesting to meet all the people and see "I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about the university I've been involved in and take that next step forward in my professional career as well." MITCHELL ON HIS INTERNSHIP WORKING IN THE OFFICE OF UVA PRESIDENT TERESA SULLIVAN