It can be tough working in government and politics with the polarization and rancor around it these days.
But Kady Binsbacher sees it as a public service – to use what she has learned for good.
“We all know it gets messy. But there are good people and bad people. I know there are a lot of good people. I want to be one of those,” said the Grand Canyon University senior government major. “I want to learn as much as I can to help the community grow, the economy grow, to help tourism grow in Arizona.”
Binsbacher is serving a policy internship with the Arizona Senate this semester, one of nine GCU government majors who are working as interns in the Arizona Senate and House or Arizona Supreme Court, the most from GCU in recent history, said Evelyn Racette, assistant professor of government.
“It is a very competitive internship, and you get tuition, a stipend and great work experience. Laws are debated and made, and they not only see it but are a part of it, working on fact sheets and policy analysis,” she said.
Binsbacher’s work is with the Senate Republican majority, where she sits on four committees and researches bills, attends committee hearings and writes summaries, among other duties in the session-long internship.
“As many times as I’ve learned (the bill process) in school, it is hard to grasp, so one of the things I’ve gotten out of it is being able to understand it better,” she said.
For example, as part of the natural resources committee, she’s learned about water issues in Arizona and school safety in the education committee.
“Really the most surprising thing is how much government is involved in Arizona, from businesses to the Grand Canyon. It is fascinating to see how wide the range is,” she said.
She got interested in government at age 11 watching her mom, Bridget Binsbacher, run for Peoria, Arizona, city council, then serve on the body until running unsuccessfully for Peoria mayor in 2022. Today, she is executive director of the Cactus League Baseball Association.
Kady came to GCU for the school spirit but found out how much it was encouraged to be an active part of the community. She joined the Canyon Civic Institute, a group of distinguished GCU students dedicated to transforming their society through civic engagement, servant leadership and public service.
She also found the environment suited her values.
“I grew up in a traditional Christian household. That’s really where my family values and community values have taken off and where I built my foundation politically,” she said.
Binsbacher said Dana Drew-Shaw, GCU’s vice president for government relations, helped open doors for internships.
It also can lead to jobs. Abigail McLain, a 2023 GCU graduate who served as a legislative intern, is today a policy advisor in the Arizona State Senate.
Others heard about the internships through increased efforts to make students aware of the opportunity in government courses.
Senior Isabella Gutwein, who studies government with a legal studies emphasis, fulfilled a summer internship in the U.S. House of Representatives with Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani in constituent services.
She wanted to be more involved in the nitty-gritty of making bills, from start to finish, which she is doing as a nonpartisan research intern in the Arizona House this semester.
“It’s my job to know everything about the bill and have that information ready should I be asked,” she said.
Working on research for bills on artificial intelligence has been eye-opening.
“As AI grows and the internet becomes a crazier place, that is going to be cool to watch as it progresses. Yes, AI is new, but as a 20-year-old, it feels like it’s been around for a while; legislation has not. Arizona is one of the states leading the way, so it’s cool to be at the forefront of this huge policy area,” she said of bills protecting minors and against potential trafficking and nonconsensual videos.
She also has researched bills on vaccines and gold depositories and several other issues.
“As a researcher, you have to figure out what to know in the bill, nobody is going to tell you,” said the Indiana native who expects to apply for law school after her December graduation. “So being curious and interested in various topics is a super important part of the role.”
Gutwein researches what other states have done on the issue, if a bill has been run before and the technical aspects of bills that often even legislators find confusing.
She came to her interest in government and law from “a passion for justice and seeing how we can create policy that meets the needs of our community and those around us.
“I am interested in the process and mostly on how people can be heard.”
The research skills she is learning will help in the practice of law, approaching topics with facts and an analytical mind, she said.
Gutwein’s reason for entering the often-contentious fray also stems from a call to be on the side of good.
“As a Christian, it is our responsibility to display Jesus, and His passion and justice for those around us. Law and government need more Christians and need to have people who do know what truth is,” she said. “Christians bring a unique perspective to call that out, and you can do it in leadership or government positions as well.”
Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]
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Learn more:
Marquis Scott and Troy Wethe of Career Services are the GCU contacts for legislative internship applications here.
