Tiffany Porcelli was especially excited to meet female politicians like Rep. Jennifer Webb, D-Gulfport. Courtesy of Tiffany Porcelli
By Amy Diaz
On the rainy, early morning of Feb. 13, around 40 presumably sleepy USF St. Petersburg students piled onto a bus headed for Tallahassee.
Political science majors, medical students, Student Government members and veterans were among the group taking part in the annual USF Day at the Capitol. The free trip gives students an inside look at local government and a chance to meet and talk with senators and representatives of Florida.
There were a couple hundred students in attendance from all three campuses in the USF system. Students were divided into groups with different schedules. Some saw the Florida Supreme Court while others explored the rare books library or met with representatives.
Jacob Terrell, a political science major in his second semester, heard about the trip in one of his classes and signed up right away.
“It wasn’t even like,’Oh, I’ll go for extra credit’. It was just like, ‘This is an amazing opportunity,’” Terrell said. “I got to meet a representative and a senator. It was amazing.”
Terrell’s group made its first stop at the House of Representatives, where it asked questions and talked to representatives.
“We also got to sit in all of the representative seats,” Terrell said. “And talk about the world’s most comfy chair. I didn’t want to get up.”
The chairs weren’t the only thing that made Terrell want to stay.
After meeting Rep. David Silvers, D-Palm Beach, and hearing his enthusiasm about a bill he’s looking to sponsor, Terrell, who is interested in going into foreign service, said he felt inspired.
“Seeing it in action and being where all these people are, just feeling the power… It’s just a very powerful place,” Terrell said. “Even though it’s only the Florida capitol… These are people that are deciding what happens and writing laws and the policies that are going down all over Florida.”
It was SG Senate President Tiffany Porcelli’s second time on the trip.
“Going to the Day at the Capitol is like my Super Bowl, I’m not even kidding,” Porcelli said. “It’s the best day ever.”
Majoring in political science and dreaming of one day being in Congress, Porcelli said the trip gives her hands-on experience, opportunities to network and a chance to talk to politicians about their lives and how they got where they are.
Porcelli was especially excited to meet women in politics and shared an emotional moment with Rep. Jennifer Webb, D-Gulfport.
Porcelli voiced her concerns to Webb about arming public school teachers and the threat of mass shootings because her mother is a teacher.
“She literally started tearing up and told me her story about her younger sister who killed herself,” Porcelli said. “She said she will ensure it doesn’t happen and talked to me about resources for mental health.
“I didn’t expect her to share something so personal. It was such a special moment.”
Porcelli said she thinks some people don’t know how to approach politicians, but she felt like a friend or family member when speaking with Webb and Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg.
If she wasn’t graduating in December, Porcelli said she would go again next year.
“It’s a really good event for like-minded people,” she said. “Even if you don’t have experience in politics, you learn a whole lot about the impact our representatives and senators have.”
