Building for Today’s Government. Investing in Tomorrow’s Leaders.

At Civic, we believe building better government takes more than better technology. It also means investing in the people who will shape its future.

That’s why we’re proud to support the 3rd Annual Virginia Government Simulation (VGS), an experiential learning opportunity presented by The Baldacci Institute for Civil Discourse at Virginia Commonwealth University.

From October 20–22, students from universities, colleges, and community colleges across Virginia will step into the roles of state legislators. They’ll introduce legislation, debate policy, negotiate amendments, build coalitions, and experience firsthand the challenges of turning ideas into action. They even have a press core who will be breaking simulation session news as legislation develops.

For me, this opportunity is particularly meaningful.

As a 2019 recipient of VCU’s Baldacci Political Science Endowed Scholarship, I know firsthand how meaningful these investments in students can be. My own path into public service began with an internship, and later a position, in Senator Mamie Locke’s office, an opportunity that shaped my understanding of government and the research I would go on to pursue.

This year, I have the privilege of returning to the chamber of the Virginia Senate in a very different capacity. Through Civic’s support of the VGS, I will get the chance to help students navigate legislative procedures, understand the responsibilities of working in a legislative chamber, and appreciate the institutions in which public decisions are made.

There’s something wonderfully full-circle about coming back to the place where I began learning how government actually works – this time to help the next generation do the same.

Experiences like these matter because being an effective public official requires  more than knowing how a bill becomes a law. It requires understanding the people, processes, and institutions that make governing possible. That belief shapes the work we're doing at Civic.

Through Revere, we're bringing the future of work to this generation of public servants–and the next. Revere helps officials manage constituent services, recognize recurring challenges in their communities, and better understand the experiences of the people they represent.

We’ve approached that work by listening to the people who actually do the job, learning from their experiences, and building tools that respond to their needs. Because better government isn’t something we can design in isolation. It requires participation from the people who make it work.

The same principle applies to preparing future public servants.

When students have opportunities to experience governing firsthand, they’re learning more than legislative procedure. They’re learning how to collaborate, navigate competing priorities, listen to different perspectives, and work within institutions to serve the public.

I'm grateful to Dr. Wintersieck and the team behind the Virginia Government Simulation for creating those opportunities, and I’m especially proud that Civic gets to play a small part in supporting their work.

Learn more about the Virginia Government Simulation here.