Five Lafayette area students are serving as interns for the Indiana Senate Majority Caucus during the 2021 legislative session, said State Sens. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) and Brian Buchanan (R-Lebanon).
Daniella Ferrante is the daughter of Louis and Claudia Ferrante. She graduated from Palmer Ridge High School in Monument, Colorado, and is currently enrolled at Purdue University, where she is studying psychological sciences and law and society.
“I am very blessed to have an opportunity to learn from the senators and staff who serve the great people of Indiana,” Ferrante said.
Emma Garelick is the daughter of Andrew Garelick and Nancy Odom. She graduated from Westlake High School in Westlake Village, California, and is a graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a degree in political science with minors in English and history.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to intern for Sen. Bray, President Pro Tempore of the Indiana State Senate,” Garelick said. “I have greatly enjoyed watching the legislative session up close this year.”
Samuel Overly, a resident of Lafayette, is the son of Andrew and Carla Overly. He graduated from Faith Christian School and is a junior at Liberty University studying government with a concentration in politics and policy.
As legislative interns, Ferrante, Garelick and Overly track and analyze bill data, provide constituent services, staff Senate committee hearings and meetings and conduct legislative policy research.
Adam Welker is the son of David and Lori Welker. He graduated from McCutcheon High School and is a graduate of Purdue University, where he earned degrees in political science and history.
As a policy intern, Welker conducts legislative and policy research, tracks legislative proposals and writes overviews of various issues and bills. Welker previously served as a legislative intern during the 2019 legislative session.
“I am greatly excited to return to the Statehouse and work for this esteemed chamber to help continue Indiana on the path of greatness,” Welker said.
Mitchell Tran is the son of Nguyen Tran and Renee Cao. He graduated from Dhahran High School in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and is a senior at Purdue University, where he is studying cybersecurity.
As an IT intern, Tran responds to the IT needs of senators and staff, troubleshoots hardware and software issues and assists in the implementation of new technologies.
“Indiana’s state government is a great place for college students to gain experience on important issues,” Alting said. “These five have done such a great job assisting legislators and staff at the Statehouse, and I hope what they have learned in our internship program will help them in their future careers.”
“I love to see college students from Senate District 7 interning at the Statehouse,” Buchanan said. “State government plays an important role in our community, and the Senate Internship Program is one of the best ways to gain firsthand knowledge of our legislative process.”
Senate Majority interns work through the duration of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end by April 29.
