In May of 2013, Deja Johnson had just finished her junior year at Neumann. She was enjoying her college experience but was having doubts about her choice of major, political science. Her professors were knowledgeable and the assignments challenging, but she didn’t see how the classroom theory applied to the world beyond campus and the people she wanted to help.

Then a summer internship with the City of Chester changed everything.

“The hands-on experience just made everything click for me,” explains the 21-year-old Chester resident. “I sat in on meetings of the mayor’s staff, witnessed first-hand the event-planning process, and got to see how city government works.”

The most palpable impact, however, came from Johnson’s attendance at town hall meetings. “I saw democracy in action at these public meetings, and the process intrigued me. Suddenly, political science was very appealing.”

Entering her senior year, Johnson is more confident than ever. “I’ve become much more independent during my years at Neumann. I’ve grown into a person I think I’m liking.”

Her ultimate goal is to attend law school, study family law, and specialize in adoption. After her internship with the City of Chester, however, she wouldn’t mind getting a few years of grassroots experience in city government before she begins her journey to the bar exam.