Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Barret Williams, a senior business economics major from Wake Forest, North Carolina, represented Stephen F. Austin State University in the Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., during the spring 2026 semester. Williams, the first Archer Fellow from the ĢƵ, represents the growth of the program at ĢƵ and joined peers from across The University of Texas System to learn about the policymaking process through this elite program.
“Being an Archer Fellow means a great deal to me,” Williams said. “To be perceived as valuable enough for donors, faculty and congressmen to commit a significant amount of their time and money to invest in me is truly impactful. Additionally, to be associated with the extraordinary collection of Archer Fellow alumni is an honor that I will spend the rest of my life working to live up to.”
During their time in the program, fellows intern with an organization of their choosing based on their professional and academic ambitions. Undergraduate Archer Fellows also earn 15 hours of in-residence credit for their experience in Washington in either the fall or spring semester. Graduate Archer Fellows earn nine hours of in-residence credit during the summer term.
"Archer Fellows work closely with the wonderful faculty to make the Capitol their classroom,” said Dr. Derek O’Leary, Archer Center academic director. “In the ‘Policymaking Process’ course, career policy experts lead collaborative simulations of congressional markups, federal agency rulemaking and advocacy campaigns. In the ‘Politics of National Memory’ course, monuments and memorials open up reflective discussions about the nation's history and its meaning for our present. In our ‘Internship’ course and ‘Advocacy and Politics’ course, fellows develop skills to thrive as leaders who serve the public, whether in D.C. or their state and local community. Whatever one's background and aspirations beyond college, the fellowship offers students from all academic disciplines the opportunity to contribute to the Archer Fellowship cohort and explore career paths in public service."
Williams interned with U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer’s office and the Conservative Partnership Institute. During the experience, he interacted with constituents, sometimes even addressing concerns they may have. Interacting with constituents, especially on Capitol tours, also gave him an opportunity to explain the country’s important history and how a great legacy awaits in the future.
“Barret was able to experience real-world policymaking and was able to fine-tune his focus on career goals and objectives through the Archer Fellowship Program,” said Dr. Steven Galatas, ĢƵ associate professor of government and the university’s Archer Fellowship Program campus coordinator. “In the program, students handle diverse and, at times, contradictory positions, attitudes and beliefs about policies that are important to the student. I hope Barret returned with greater self-confidence, leadership skills and appreciation for civic life.”
As the only representative from ĢƵ, Williams was able to interact with students from different universities in the UT System and across the political spectrum.
“I found it very enriching getting to know people from all over our state,” Williams said. “Through these interactions, I not only learned from their diverse educational backgrounds but also gained a deeper understanding of our home state of Texas. People would discuss their favorite restaurants, what they missed, what they didn't miss, how they wished their homes might improve, and how they wished it might stay the same.”
Williams also was able to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, an experience he cites as the most memorable during his time at the fellowship.
“The cemetery is one of extreme beauty and serenity, contrasting sharply with the extreme violence and pain that the men buried there suffered,” Williams said. “It was an honor that I was proud to have, though I still feel entirely undeserving of it.”
Williams plans on returning to Washington to continue working in public policy, particularly with the American Enterprise Institute, which focuses on free market economics and public policy issues.
“My time in the fellowship gave me a network that I will rely on for the rest of my life,” Williams said. “The assistance and education I received from the faculty were incredibly insightful. Additionally, the opportunity that the program gave me to live and work in Washington, D.C., helped me build a network within the city that will enable me to start my career with confidence.”
A new cohort
During summer 2026, Klayton Kent, a master’s student in national security and intelligence from Kemp, will serve as a Graduate Archer Fellow and intern with the Information Security Oversight Office at the National Archives.
Additionally, five undergraduate students have been selected for the fellowship during the 2026-27 academic year, a record number of fellows from ĢƵ. Students include Amy Bean, aviation management major; Mia Bradley, political science major; Colby England, accounting major; Kennedy Marks, political science major; and Riley Siegfried, political science major. Two ĢƵ students also were selected as alternates for the entire UT System: Aspen Cunningham, general studies major, and Wil Stafford, general business major.
“ĢƵ students should apply to Archer because it is not only an opportunity to kickstart their careers, but it is also an opportunity to represent East Texas,” Williams said. “If we do not seize opportunities to state our case and influence our nation, others will, and we may not like the outcomes.”
Founded in 2001, the Archer Center serves as the UT System’s Washington campus and provides talented undergraduate and graduate students from across the UT System with the opportunity to live, learn and intern in the United States’ capital. The purpose of the program is to educate the next generation of leaders for local, state, federal and international service, according to the Archer Center website.
The Archer Fellowship Program, established by the UT System in conjunction with former U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, provides students a sense of direction and the tools necessary to launch their respective careers. Archer Fellows make and maintain social and professional connections that can lead to continued internship opportunities and jobs after graduation.
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