The Center for Politics at UVA announced the 2024 recipients of the G. Richard Fletcher Scholarship and the Douglas C. Page Scholarship. The scholarship assists students in pursuing public-sector internships and public service that advances and honors the causes and issues that motivated the namesake of each scholarship. The Center also announced this year’s recipient of the Ridley Scholarship Program’s annual Larry J. Sabato and Walter N. Ridley Capitol Hill Internship Award, established by UVA alumna Teresa Bazemore.
2024 recipients of G. Richard Fletcher 22nd Century Scholarship
- Isabella Dal Pozzolo, of Charlottesville, VA, is a rising fourth-year student double majoring in Politics and Government. This summer Isabella will intern in the Washington, D.C. office of Rep. Eric Swalwell of California. Isabella is a Latina immigrant and first-generation student at the University. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, Isabella has served as a Development Intern with the Center for Politics as well as a Direct Marketing Intern with the University’s Annual Giving Office.
- Alexandra Worms, of San Diego, CA, is a rising second-year student double majoring in Political and Social Thought and Economics. This summer Alexandra will intern with Sen. Alex Padilla of California. Fluent in Spanish, Alexandra is a Jefferson Scholar and an Echols Scholar as well as Chair of the First Year Judiciary Committee.
Isabella Dal Pozzolo (left) and Alexandra Worms (right).
The G. Richard Fletcher 22nd Century Scholars Stipend supports two rising second-, third-, or fourth-year students working an internship in the fields of environmental policy, economics, political science, political history, or foreign affairs, with a preference for students interested in Latin America and United States policy toward Latin America. The scholarship was established by University of Virginia alumnus Fred Fletcher (COL ’74) in honor of his late brother. G. Richard “Dick” Fletcher was an alumnus of the University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts in International Management, earning Phi Beta Kappa Honors. He completed a Master of Arts degree in International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and was a Fulbright Scholar, studying in Bolivia. He served in leadership capacities for financial institutions in the United States and throughout Latin America, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of Beneficial State Bank. Early in his life, he developed a strong interest in international development and political bonds between the United States and Latin America, and served on multiple boards and committees for local, national and international organizations.
2024 recipients of Douglas C. Page 22nd Century Scholars Stipend
- Ezra Thau, of Bala Cynwyd, PA, is a rising third-year student majoring in Politics and Government. This summer Ezra will intern with Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Among other experiences, Ezra worked for former Rep. Conor Lamb’s 2022 campaign for U.S. Senate and is a Copy Editor for the Cavalier Daily.
- Ansley Skipper, of Memphis, TN, is a rising fourth-year student majoring in history and government. She has interned in Washington, D.C. with political strategist Sarah Longwell and will work this summer as a communications fellow with Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.
Ezra Thau (left) and Ansley Skipper (right).
The Douglas C. Page 22nd Century Scholars Stipend supports two rising second-, third-, or fourth-year students to intern in the fields of voting rights, civil rights, human rights, politics, government, and/or public service. Established by University of Virginia alumnus Frank Leone (BA ’82, JD ’85), the Fund is named in memory of University of Virginia alumnus Douglas C. Page (COL ’84), who believed strongly in equality of opportunity and the promise of political activity to improve people’s lives. Page was from Columbia, SC, and paid for his college education. After graduating from UVA, he attended the University of South Carolina Law School and upon graduation clerked for two years with federal Judge C. Weston Houck (D.S.C.). In 1989, Page moved to Washington, DC to join the U.S. Department of Justice. He had contracted AIDS, and his illness forced him to return to South Carolina later that year. He died on March 24, 1990, in Columbia, SC, at age 28.
2024 Recipient of the Larry J. Sabato and Walter N. Ridley Capitol Hill Internship Stipend
- Tyler Busch, of Newark, DE, is a fourth-year at the University of Virginia majoring in African & African-American Studies with a History minor. This summer he will intern with Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware. Tyler is currently conducting research in the Distinguished Majors Program focusing on desegregation and integration. In his previous years as an undergrad, he has been involved in the Student Council serving as a Representative and promoting diversity through the Echols Outreach and Inclusion Program, and is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Tyler Busch
Established by Teresa Bazemore (COL ‘81) with the Ridley Scholarship Program, the Sabato/Ridley Capitol Hill Internship Stipend Fund assists students pursuing experiential learning in the fields of politics, government, and public service.
The Center’s 22nd Century Scholars Program was created in 2020 when many students lost their paid public sector internships as a result of the pandemic. Thanks to private donors, the program was expanded to offer stipends for students to accept public-sector internships not based at the University in local, state, and federal government.
