From the moment University of Maryland freshman Lynelle Essilfie set foot on campus, her “love for the government and faith in people” were evident. Essilfie discovered that both of these interests intersect in public policy, offering her a way to drive change through civic engagement.
A defining moment sparked Essilfie’s interest in policy – witnessing a close friend’s struggle with loss stemming from a parent’s firearm. This, along with the subsequent passage of Jaelynn’s Law, which prohibits individuals from leaving firearms in places where minors could reasonably access them, cemented Essilfie’s desire to study public policy.
With a strong desire to make a meaningful impact through policy, Essilfie sought out a policy-related internship. Her journey took an unconventional turn when she came across a TikTok video advertising nonprofits and other government-related programs accepting applications. She did some initial research and learned that the Institute for Youth in Policy (YIP) seamlessly aligned with her values and interests, focusing on discourse, innovation, policy and education. With her mind set on creating solutions to improve the current state of civics education, she applied and accepted YIP’s internship offer.
In Essilfie’s current role as a development intern for YIP, she works virtually with high school and college students from across the country on completing a developing high school civics curriculum. This curriculum will provide a nonpartisan approach to traditional topics while implementing policy and promoting debate and discourse among students. “When I joined the team in June of 2022, the curriculum had two and a half units and was very unpolished,” shared Essilfie. “By the beginning of 2023, the curriculum had eight full units including an introductory unit and final unit capstone project.”
“With the feedback from our democratic simulations and review board of teachers and professionals, we have worked towards polishing the curriculum,” shared Essilfie, who is proud of what her team has accomplished as young, virtual leaders.
Essilfie believes it is important for policy spaces to play a more active role in creating new standards for teaching and learning. “Students are falling behind and failing to master fundamental concepts,” said Essilfie. “When faced with more diverse student populations, limited resources and outside influences, more has to be done on the policy level to provide solutions for these problems.”
In her short time at the School of Public Policy, Essilfie has explored a range of critical issues spanning from affordable housing to education to immigration, shaping the way she views and understands the far-reaching impact policies can have, particularly on marginalized communities. Looking ahead, she plans to spend her time at SPP developing the skills and knowledge to help navigate the complexities of policy decisions and to one day become a strong policy leader.
