Cultivating leaders with purpose in the COS internship

The following was written by ELP Senior Coordinator Kristen Stanciu.

People need purpose.

They need leaders with purpose.

At Convention of States, we believe the fate of the next generation is inextricably linked to the fate of our nation.

That’s why the Emerging Leaders Program exists – to cultivate a generation of leaders with purpose, who will take up the torch of freedom and carry it alight.

Every year, we inaugurate a class of college-aged students who are hungry for truth and seeking purpose. They enter the program with dreams, aspirations, passions, and questions – questions about what they believe, why they are here, and what they’re meant to do. Over the course of nine months, they do a deep dive as they search for truth. 

As a group, we discuss what it means to be a servant leader; how you can influence others to find their purpose and fulfill their God-given potential. 

We study the roots of Western Civilization; what ideas, principles, and fundamental truths built the West? 

We examine our founding documents and seek to understand why our Founders enshrined certain systems and processes in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and how those ideas flowed downstream from their roots in Enlightenment Europe, Ancient Greece and Rome, and even Ancient Israel. 

We close out the intern year by analyzing how some of the greatest American statesmen – men like Madison and Washington and Lincoln – honed and applied the virtue of prudence to the circumstances they faced in order to lead the nation to greater heights.

Our current intern class is six months into their ELP journey, and they have been growing and blossoming as they challenge themselves and each other to rise to new heights as leaders and statesmen in their generation. Dani Landivar, who interns for the Legislative Department, put it this way: “This journey has reinforced the importance of being a well-informed citizen—one who actively works towards both the conservation and progression of the values we hold dear while simultaneously equipping us with the education and tools necessary to enact this change in our communities and beyond. Programs like the ELP are crucial for young people, like myself, who seek the development and training necessary to make a lasting impact."

Interns join our program from varying walks of life and for many different reasons, but they all have one thing in common: a desire to grow. Jonathan Stuckey, who interns for the Grassroots Department in the Western Patriots region, said: “I wanted to be a part of the Emerging Leaders Program because I desired to be a part of a movement that I am passionate about, while simultaneously receiving training to be a better leader… As excited as I already was to be a part of the ELP, the program itself is so much more incredible and impactful than I had ever imagined.”

Our emerging leaders have been blazing new trails and debuting exciting new productions! One such example is Rachel Martin. If you watch COS’s recap show, COS Now, you’ll recognize her as the new face in weekly videos updating you on all the news and activity happening in the COS universe. 

The impact of the Emerging Leaders Program transcends politics. Many of our interns join with varying skills, talents, and dreams, some of which align with the political field, but not always. Past interns have pursued fields like interior design, classical music, or creative writing – and their experiences in the Emerging Leaders Program have been immensely formative in helping them achieve those goals.

Many join in order to gain political experience, deepen their understanding of history and philosophy, and become better leaders. And they do – but what they gain is so much more than that. Take Charlotte Streff, for instance. She says, "When I began the internship, I was worried whether or not it would be a good fit for me or not. But after a few short weeks, I realized my life would not be the same. The in-depth studies and discussions over the course of the internship changed and grew my perception of the world. The readings introduced old concepts in a new light, causing me to think deeply about the meaning of duty, statesmanship, and patriotism. I would not be the person I am today without the influence of the Emerging Leaders Program."

Each of our lives has a turning point, or more than one – experiences that leave an indelible mark on your soul and shape your future. Mark Twain is attributed as having said: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

For many of our interns, their second day takes place during the nine months of their time in the Emerging Leaders Program.

The pursuit of purpose and meaning is not just an important pursuit – it is the most important one.

If we don’t understand why we’re here – nothing else matters. 

Many young Americans float through life, chasing passions, positions, careers, accomplishments, and material satisfaction, but without a grounded understanding of why those things merited pursuing in the first place.

Not in the Emerging Leaders Program. If you’re a high school graduate, college student, or recent graduate, and you’re looking for something more than an internship – a personally and professionally transformative experience – or you know someone else who is, check out the Emerging Leaders Program. It just might change your life.

The next cycle of the Emerging Leaders Program begins September 2025. Applications will become available in late April. If you would like to be notified as soon as the application goes live, please fill out the interest form on the website.