A&M-Texarkana Student studies foreign policy in D.C.

Meet Rayleigh Derrick, an A&M-Texarkana senior political science major spending the spring 2026 semester in Washington, DC. Rayleigh is in the nation’s capital as a part of the Public Policy Scholars Program (PPSP) through the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. An initiative of the Texas A&M University System, the PPSP selects students from across A&M System universities and provides them with a hands-on internship experience in public policy, coupled with an enhanced academic experience. Rayleigh is originally from Texarkana, TX and graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 2023.

While in D.C., she will complete six hours of in-person coursework developed and taught by distinguished faculty from the Bush School of Government and Public Service. The coursework focuses on current issues and special topics relevant to Washington, D.C. and the American political system. She attends classes two days a week and spends three days a week as an intern with the National Association of Wheat Growers, an organization to ensure a better future for America’s wheat growers, wheat industry, and the public. The academic curriculum is designed to emphasize critical thinking, policy analysis, and real-world application, equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in public service, which is exactly what Rayleigh hopes to do with her life.

While in Washington D.C. she has enjoyed seeing the Cherry Blossoms and spends a great deal of her free time in the Smithsonian complex, with the Museum of Natural History being among here favorites. She is currently finishing her final projects, and her coursework and internship will wrap up soon. She will return to Texarkana in early May.

She will graduate from A&M-Texarkana in December 2026 and plans to attend graduate school to study foreign affairs. She hopes to eventually work for the State Department or Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense). “I love learning about other places and I love foreign affairs,” Rayleigh said. Although she shares that she has no interest in running for office, Rayleigh would love to represent the United States in another part of the world and is particularly interested in working in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.