Legislative intern sets her sights on the Florida Capitol

"I tend to be confident, but I realized how much more there is to learn," said Saysia Berding. "My time at Seminole State has given me the tools to be confident in areas I didn't know existed."  

Berding came to Seminole State College of Florida after graduating from Lyman High School through the 2024 Summer Bridge Program, allowing her to start her college career with two classes with no out-of-pocket costs. Besides the First Year Experience course, Berding was able to take U.S. Government, taking her first step into her area of passion: law and politics.

Passion for the Law

It wasn't until her senior year of high school that Berding discovered her interest in politics. Her history teacher taught court cases and she was "amazed by the process and the way our democracy works." However, when she came to Seminole State she was originally disheartened. “I came to Seminole State thinking everything is over – how am I going to be in politics with an imperfect GPA in high school?” she said. However, during the Summer Bridge orientation day, students were able to meet with programs across the College and Berding joined the Grindle Honors Institute and realized that her dreams were closer than she expected. "That restored my faith and hope for my passion," said Berding, who set out to learn all she could about her field while at Seminole State and is on track to graduate Summa Cum Laude in Spring 2026.

Getting Involved on Campus

When she got started on campus, Berding joined the Campus Activities Team (CAT), which she learned about through a friend in the Summer Bridge Program, then got involved with Seminole State Volunteers, the HOPE Scholars Program, Phi Theta Kappa and even became the vice president in the College's Law Club. Ultimately, one of her biggest roles was becoming the legislative intern for the College, giving her a behind-the-scenes look at educational law, policy and how the Florida legislative system functions. She was in charge of watching committee meetings and providing high-level summaries on the meetings and progress related to the bills that were assigned to her and what impact they would have on Seminole State and other educational entities. "I didn't know everything that went into education to begin with, and it is a lot of work that requires a lot of heart," Berding said.

In April, she accompanied Honors Director Tracy Harbin and Vice President of Public Policy and General Counsel Paul Carland to Tallahassee where she got the chance to meet with Florida House of Representatives members Doug Bankson and Rachel Plakon, provide insight to the students' perspectives and watch Florida's budget be passed.

Her Future Campaign

Now when Berding looks to the future, she has a plan. She aims to transfer to a four-year university like Florida State University or University of Florida to pursue her interest in law. She is utilizing funds she received from a Foundation for Seminole State College scholarship to help with the cost of college while she applies for schools but recognizes the leg up that Seminole State has given her. "It would be difficult to get into another opportunity like this at a larger school," Berding said. "Now I have hands-on experience that gives me a large upper hand at whatever school I go to next."