The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Richard P. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Take Action - Interview with Jenell Hierholzer
The coffee smelled good. Everything was inviting about Biggby's, a coffee shop on Allegan Street in downtown Lansing that many legislative employees refer to as the “House Beaners.” Just a short but brisk walk away from the House Office Building, I still managed to appreciate the chill that morning before stepping inside the warmth of the place. After a quick scan I also saw something else warm - Jenell Hierholzer's face.
I had been nervous about meeting her and wasn't sure if I was prepared for our conversation. However, Jenell is one of the kindest people I have ever met and her smile instantly put me at ease. Along with her 'bubbly' personality, there is a strength and determination of character that underlies everything she does.
Jenell Hierholzer is an energetic and focused person. Through the Verity Institute she accelerated her college career, earning a degree in a little under two years. She also began a Lansing internship in 2006 and overcame extraordinary circumstances to build a legislative career here. Jenell was volunteering far from home with very little money and in dire need of a place to stay. The Lord eventually provided all of her needs and sustained her during some very lean times.
Q. "Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"
A. Jenell explained that she was born and raised in Indiana and attended the Verity Institute in Flint, Michigan. While at Verity she learned about a brief internship in Lansing with Rep. Fulton Sheen. After that, she was the campaign chief for Joshua Nunez, a former SSI student and legislative staffer running for a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. Joshua lost in the 2006 primary, but Jenell learned a great deal from the experience and found employment with other state lawmakers.
Q. "What do you do now?"
A. "I work for State Representative Kevin Green," she answered. Jenell talked at length about all of the policy work that she does, especially on health care issues. It was easy to see how much she really enjoys her job.
Q. "What motivated you to seek your current position?"
A. Jenell said she had wanted to work with people and in politics but, through being in Lansing, those goals now include dealing with elected officials and their major policy issues.
Q. "What training do you think has been important to prepare you for working with Rep. Kevin Green?"
A. She said that while college was important, and high school was significant, the biggest training and career preparation came from having parents who taught her how to learn. Jenell said this ability was enormously influential in her decisions, and is applicable to any field of endeavor.
Q. "What are the greatest rewards of working in Representative Green's office?"
A. Jenell told me that, without a doubt, it was “the people.” Jenell loves meeting new people, making friends, and learning about others.
Q. "What are the biggest challenges of working in the Michigan House?”
A. Jenell said listed the lack of money in the state budget. Also, lawmakers must decide which programs need to be cut and which quality programs must be terminated as the state budget confronts a tough economy. Those are monumental challenges to be overcome.
Q. "What role does your faith play in your job?"
A. She answered that the “number one role” was God opening the right doors for her. I learned of how she had job shadowed a press secretary before working in Lansing and thought that was the ideal position. But, because of the right doors being opened she has changed her mind. Jenell loves working on public policy in connection with the House Appropriations Committee. She also told me how being in the representative's office allows her to be a witness to people who pass through those doors.
Jenell Hierholzer is a young, bright, and energetic leader and her hard work is paying off. She has a job that she loves, surrounds herself with quality people, and is now engaged to Tom Leonard, an assistant prosecutor in Genesee County.
In 2008, Jenell was named a recipient of the Frank M. Fitzgerald Public Service Award. She recently was accepted for the 2010 Michigan Political Leadership Program which recruits, trains, and inspires tomorrow’s public policy leaders, preparing them with vision, commitment, and the skills for effective governance. In a multi-partisan learning environment, a diverse group of 24 individuals from across the state engage in a public policy and leadership curriculum. Jenell is excited about being tapped for this incredible opportunity.
Jenell reminds me of the farmer who prepared for the harvest, and reaped a hundred times what was sown. She isn't afraid of hard work, and is being blessed for it. I was blessed to share a conversation with her over a warm cup of coffee.
