With a focus on minority communities, Axiom Strategies launched a new apprenticeship program for students who want a “real-world” Republican campaign experience.
The program places students with Axiom campaigns across the country for hands-on experience in gubernatorial, congressional, and Senate races. But students will also hopefully garner something greater during the program, said Axiom CEO and founder Jeff Roe: mentorship.
“That first rung of the political ladder is the hardest to get to,” Roe said. “The first campaign, the first win, the first mentor to give you a shot — those breaks can shape the rest of your career and life. Where the GOP has failed is helping people grasp that first run. We’ve got to do better, and that includes Axiom,” he added. “With over 200 employees, countless campaigns, and a presence around the country, our company is going to help fix that.”
“It’s imperative that we develop GOP operatives from minority communities and provide them with the resources and opportunities to be successful,” he added. “And we’re using Axiom’s time, energy, and funds to do exactly that.”
Roe noted many people involved in politics today took a gap semester or some time off from college to work on a campaign. And with the COVID-19 pandemic, some schools have later start dates or greater access to online learning, making this the perfect time to launch the apprenticeship.
“As people are taking a look at what their learning is going to look like … with delayed entry or virtual learning, we’re in a good place to fit neatly in that,” Roe told The Missouri Times in an interview. “If you want an education in politics, we’re going to give you a graduate-level degree.”
The program is open to as many students as possible, Roe said, although Axiom will give preference to students who apply from 10 “target” schools: Catholic University of America, George Washington University, Howard University, Lincoln University, Texas A&M University, Texas Southern University, the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, the University of Texas, and William Jewell College.
Howard, Lincoln, and Texas Southern are historically Black colleges.
Axiom has accepted interns in the past — generally in one of the main offices in Austin, Kansas City, or Washington, D.C. — but the apprenticeship is an opportunity for the consulting firm to use its resources to “give kids an opportunity to get involved in politics at no cost to themselves.” Those accepted to the program will receive monthly stipends and can earn class credit if his or her school allows for it.
Applications will be available on Axiom’s website, and the apprenticeship program is to be promoted across social media.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
