Summary
Senior: Virginia Commonwealth University with a double major in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice
Lead Curator: Virginia Elections Hub and Curator 4th Congressional District
My name is Zachery Villegas and I am student at Virginia Commonwealth University set to graduate a semester early this December. I am double majoring in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice, but have had many experiences in public policy that have sparked my interest in government and politics.
Social Media: LinkedIn page
Email: zach@onair.cc
Location: Richmond, Va.
Representatives:
State Delegate – Jeffrey M. Bourne
State Senator – Glen H. Sturtevant Jr.
US Congressman – Donald McEachin
OnAir Post: Zach Villegas
About
I applied to be a Political Communications Intern at the Virginia Elections Hub because I believed this position will further advance my professional communication skills and provide me an opportunity to expand my network as I move closer to graduation and begin searching for careers. I believe I will be an asset to the Virginia Elections Hub as I have already experienced Virginia policy making and elections firsthand during my time at the Virginia General Assembly and with my skills in database development, mining, and analysis; my research and writing skills; my social media knowledge; and my love of interacting with and learning about people.
Education
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA – December 2018 (expected)
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science
Majors: Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. Criminal Justice. Concentration: Justice
Honors: GPA: 3.3; Dean’s List recognition 2015 & 2017
Wilder School Spotlight Student 2017
Project “CelebrateVCU” Interviewee 2017
Member of the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy 2018
American University, Washington, DC – Summer 2018
Washington Semester Program
Experience
Communications Intern, National Academy of Public Administration, Washington, D.C. Summer 2018
- Maintained communication with over 850 Fellows of the Academy through email, phone, and letter to inform them of Academy events and news
- Created a Fellow engagement index database measuring each Fellow’s engagement with the Academy with the purpose of predicting future Fellow involvement and how to encourage more involvement
- Created an instructional video on using the Academy Fellow Nominee voting portal
- Helped plan, organize, and manage Standing Panel and other information seminars
- Updated the Academy’s website, linking its Fellow profile pages to a live database that eased access to Fellow information
Legislative Intern, Office of Delegate Steven Landes, Richmond, VA January 2018 – April 2018
- Responded to issues important to constituents by phone and email as well as recorded their concerns in a spreadsheet to tally major constituent issues
- Tracked the progression of House and Senate Bills through the General Assembly
- Researched important bills and generated knowledge about the patrons and co-patrons of each bill to report back to Delegate Landes
- Received letters, emails, and phone calls from lobbyists and other political interest groups and input their data into the General Assembly voting program
- Assisted Legislative Director Judy Wyatt in solving day-to-day issues such as: getting supplies for the office; printing bills and other forms; and updating the daily schedule
Orientation Leader, VCU New Student & Family Programs, Richmond, VA Summer 2017
- Oversaw a group of 10-15 incoming freshmen students and their parents every week
- Provided tours of the Monroe Park campus while answering questions regarding VCU
- Introduced the incoming freshmen to VCU traditions and culture
- Served as a role model and expert on all the resources available to the first year students
Assistant, Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs, Richmond, VA August 2016 – May 2018
- Assisted professors and other full-time employees by completing a variety of supportive tasks
- Organized calendars by tracking and making reservations
- Printed, scanned, and copied tests, quizzes, and assignments
- Delivered mail to all faculty and staff
- Kept record of all fixed assets in our various offices
Campus and Community Service
Founder and President, VCU Joint Asian Organizations, Richmond, VA August 2017 – Present
Vice President, VCU Vietnamese Student Association, Richmond, VA July 2016 – May 2018
Ram Camp Leader, VCU Ram Camp, Richmond, VA August 2015 – Present
Virginia Elections Projects
Posts Curating
Aircasts Organizing
Articles
Meet Zach Villegas
VCU Student Spotlight By Tiffany Murray-Robertson
Alternating between classes and multiple part-time jobs is all in a day’s work for junior Zach Villegas. For this criminal justice and homeland security and emergency preparedness double major, balancing three jobs and 18 credits is simply a means to an end.
Villegas spends 20 hours of his week as a Federal Work Study employee at the Wilder School, where he has worked ably assisting faculty and staff for the last two years, and another 20 hours a week at the VCU Library as a Starbucks barista. On slow weekends, he moonlights at J. Kogi, a bustling Korean eatery in nearby Jackson Ward. Read More
Legislative Program Gives Students a Leg-up on the Future
By Tiffany Murray-Robertson
Until recently, Zach Villegas, a first-generation college student from Springfield, didn’t believe he belonged in politics.
“I never thought I was outspoken enough or had a strong enough opinion about anything to be a politician,” said Villegas, a junior who’s majoring in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Read More
Videos
March 21, 2018 by VCU Wilder School
The Virginia Capitol Semester offers unrivaled access to the Virginia General Assembly and career-making experience for diverse majors. For more information
November 14, 2017 by Osiris X
A stylistic documentary film by the Theta Rho Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha showcasing the unique stories and experiences of the diverse student body of Virginia Commonwealth University.