Political Science students explore state government at Day at the Capitol

May 19, 2026 - Karessa Weir

More than 20 PLS students toured the halls of the Michigan Capitol this  April and received an insider’s view of what it is like to work in state government. 

The students spoke with current legislators and staffers about how they got to their jobs and what their work entails. MSU Political Science alumna Jayla Irons (Class of ‘23) first became interested in politics while growing up on the south side of Chicago and seeing disparity in schools across the city.  

Today, Irons is a policy advisor for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.  

“My job is staying informed. I give input on when the governor should engage,” she told the students, adding that her advice to them would be to “stick to what you are interested in and your moral values, and it will all turn out ok.” 

“All of you are geniuses, and all of you are applying for the same job. The difference is who you know,” Irons told the students. “Your connections, your mentors – you never know where they might lead you.” 

The students also spoke with Democratic Floor Leader John Fitzgerald (83rd District). He told the students that he rose up to state government after years of city politics, which is mainly nonpartisan and local. In city politics, you focus on the results, not the methods of getting the results. 

But in the Capitol, you have to acknowledge that most people react with emotion and not with rationale, he said.  
“It is our job to set aside the rhetoric and focus on the solution,” said Rep. Fitzgerald, who graduated from MSU with a degree in History in 2013. “To do that you have to talk to people, find ways to connect and come across as open. You have to put the community first.” 

State Rep. Bryan Posthumus, Republican Floor Leader, told the students that he never had an interest in politics even though his father served as a state senator and lieutenant governor. He earned an agricultural business management degree from MSU and then ran for office during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rep. Posthumus emphasized that inside the Capitol, Republicans and Democrats get along and work together closer than it appears from the outside.  

“We all want to make our communities safer. How we get there is the difference,” he said.  

Kris Young, legislative director for Sen. Sam Singh, has been at the Capitol since he was a page in 2000. He recommends all people who want to work in the Capitol focus on constituent relations first.  

“We all start in constituent services,” he said. “Communication is the key. Your résumé up here is your relationships.” 

The group toured the Capitol building, from its newly renovated basement space to the Heritage Hall welcome center, to the state’s original Supreme Court hearing room. Students were able to view both the Senate and House floor and Governor’s Office. 

“I appreciated the tour guide so much. He had so much knowledge and skill,” said PLS Scholar Jaelynn Smith. “The day was very encouraging, and I can’t wait to see all of us in these spaces.”