Bailey VanGuilder: Field Staffer

This summer and fall, Bailey VanGuilder worked as a Field Staffer for the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC). When he interviewed for the position, Bailey said he could do whatever the HRCC needed. As a Field Staffer, he had a diverse set of responsibilities, doing anything the campaign needed to win.

At the start of his time with the HRCC, Bailey's primary responsibility was door knocking—something he quickly learned he did not want to do for eight hours a day. To better fit his interests, he was moved to work in the office where he helped with letters & phone calls and at events & parades.

Credit for experience

This fall semester, Bailey enrolled in POL 3080: Internship in Politics or Government, a political science class that allows students to receive academic credit by completing coursework during their internship. "You're making connections, you're getting paid, and you're also getting credits for it, said Bailey. "That's huge."

The readings, in particular, assigned in POL 3080 were insightful to Bailey. One of the readings on local campaigns "was really helpful," he reflected, as it allowed him to "see the strategy behind what you were doing and even bring new things to the table."

From the classroom to the workplace

Furthermore, this opportunity helped Bailey understand the workplace in a way the classroom cannot prepare you for. One of the most important things he learned was how to talk to a boss "both honestly and professionally." As he quickly learned with door knocking, "if there's something you don't like or there's something you want to tell them," Bailey said, "just being able to get that across in a meaningful way—that's really important."

His time with the HRCC also helped Bailey build confidence by "working in a way that's not necessarily laid out before you." For class assignments, there are clear expectations and guidelines. By learning how to adapt and take on risks with limited explanation; however, he became comfortable with trusting his intuition and doing what he thought was right.

Finding the work

To other students interested in working on campaigns, Bailey advises putting yourself out there and talking to people. "Go to whatever party you're interested in because they are needing volunteers," particularly during an election cycle. "The work is out there," and based on Bailey's experience, "there's not a lot of people who want to do [the work]."