Fellowship Spotlight: Annefloor de Groot

annefloor_degroot

Graduation Date: May 2019

Majors or Areas of Study: Political Science and Communication Studies

Hometown: Peachtree City, GA

Community & Campus Involvement: UGA Miracle, Phi Mu Sorority, and UGA Young Democrats

Interesting fact about yourself?: I was born and raised in The Netherlands until the age of eight. This experience has taught be to be open-minded to all cultures and beliefs.

What interested you most about the Spencer Frye Fellowship Program?: I am highly interested in politics and government, and the Spencer Frye Fellowship Program gives fellows a large variety of opportunities to become more involved in politics both on state and local levels.

What is your current role on the Spencer Frye team?: I am a legislative fellow.

What have you learned so far as a fellow? I have already learned about an abundance of important things regarding leadership and the impact that we can make on people’s everyday lives. However, the most impactful thing I have learned so far would have to be the prevalence of local and state politics in communities, such as Athens. It is a common misconception that legislation on the national level is what primarily changes lives, but through my time as a fellow with the Representative Frye team, I have come to realize that what we are doing on the local and state level has just as significant of an impact on the lives of American citizens.

What has been your favorite experience as a fellow? My favorite experience as a fellow would be going canvassing at the doors of the people of Athens. Being able to truly listen to the concerns and opinions of the people in our community gave me a good idea of how legislation could improve lives directly.

What are your future goals? Currently, my goal is to get into law school to pursue a career in corporate law.

What do you love most about Athens?  I love how small, yet large it feels all at once. There is such a great variety of students here at UGA, yet somehow I always run into familiar faces.

Favorite place in Athens, Georgia? Last Resort Grill; I love the atmosphere and the food is just delicious.

Favorite movie? This is a tough one for me, but I would probably have to say “The Hunger Games”

What are your hobbies outside of school and the Fellowship program? I love to explore new places in Athens with my friends, travel, and study in the coffee shops of downtown Athens.

What is the last book you read? A textbook for my Constitutional Law and Powers class.

Coffee or tea? Both. Coffee when I’m studying, and tea when I need to relax and take a break from my school work.

Describe your dream job.  My dream job is to work as an attorney.

What has been your greatest experience during your college career? The greatest experience during my college career was probably UGA Miracle’s 24-hour Dance Marathon, where we danced for the children who can’t. This experience made me truly appreciate all of the blessings in my life, and inspired me to fundraise for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

If you know that you would not fail, what would you do? I would solve world hunger.

Why are you interested in politics? By taking an interest in politics, I am able to contribute my voice and knowledge to the issues that I believe matter.

Favorite quote. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi