The University of Richmond flag hanging in 1997 UR alum Bradley Sanders’ AP World History classroom piqued the interest of Izzy Blaylock. A high school student at the time, she became curious about the place for which her teacher held such an affinity. She’d grown up in Dallas and longed to explore a new environment. It was during the time of her high school cross-country recruitment, so she reached out to the UR coaching staff upon Sanders’ suggestion and was persuaded to attend.

“I wanted to be close to D.C., I wanted to get out of Texas. It was the perfect fit for me.”

On the Richmond campus, Blaylock shares a close bond with her cross-country teammates. “It’s hard work, but I can't think of anything that brings a group of people together faster. Every morning at 6:37 a.m., you wake up and go for a run. You’re sweaty and hot, and on some days you don't feel like doing it, but you do it anyway,” she said. “The rewards from racing, the bus rides with teammates, and competing in meets all contribute to a sense of community.”

She also serves as the Atlantic-10 Student Athlete Advisory Committee representative for UR, where she spearheaded an initiative to encourage student-athletes in the conference to register to vote.

As the service chair of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, she recently led a project to donate clothes to those who lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires.

How does she manage such a hectic schedule? Blaylock admits the secret to her success is her Apple calendar.

“I found value very quickly in planning my day down to each 15 minutes. That includes building in the time to take care of myself, grab lunch with a friend, and hang out with the people that I’ve grown close with,” said Blaylock.

Between two Capitols

The history and philosophy, politics, economics and law double major interned at both the Virginia State Capitol, and just down I-95 at Capitol Hill.

By the second semester of her sophomore year, she secured a two-day, 10-hour per week internship through UR’s Virginia General Assembly Internship Program with then-Senator Jennifer McClellan, a member of the UR Class of 1994. During that time, Blaylock also juggled her classes and spring track, which meant 20 hours of practice each week and weekends spent at meets.

“My coaches were like, ‘Izzy what are you doing?’” she said, with a laugh. “But it was worth it.”

Later, McClellan’s office helped her secure an internship with Virginia Senator Mark Warner's D.C. office, where she served as a legislative intern during the summer before her junior year.

“Being on the Hill is such a unique experience. You’re walking around in the same office building as senators and congresspeople that you see on TV all the time. I met Senator Jon Ossoff on the train,” Blaylock said. “That's the kind of experience you don't get from working at home.”

Last summer, she landed a position as a policy intern with Cornerstone Government Affairs, a bipartisan consulting firm located in Washington, D.C.

“Getting up there and really seeing how much heart all the staffers have and how much they put into their projects to make even the tiniest wins happen is so gratifying,” she said. “There are people who are willing to work across partisan lines that you never hear about because the media doesn’t cover it.” 

Plans for the future

Blaylock was inspired by history professor Pippa Holloway’s class, Supreme Court Cases of the 20th Century.

“It introduced me to using the law to enact good change and the ways that people historically have done that,” she said.

“I took the class when I was struggling with some of my own frustrations with how the world works and some stuff in my personal life. It was very inspiring to hear about and feel like I could engage with lawyers and judges from the past who have worked so hard to set the tone for the life that I'm so lucky to live.”

Holloway is advisor for Blaylock’s thesis on how and why the FBI and CIA surveilled and weaponized the sexual behavior of Americans in the 1950s.

“Izzy is a fantastic student. She brings energy and enthusiasm to her classes, as well as a willingness to do the hard intellectual work required to carefully analyze historical texts. But just as importantly, she brings a great sense of fun,” said Holloway.

Next year, Blaylock will attend the University of Virginia School of Law.

“I am sure she’ll be a great lawyer of some kind, and I am hopeful that she will build a career that will allow her to channel her sense of justice and her passion for making the world a better place,” Holloway said.

Blaylock finds it hard to believe she’ll be graduating soon, but realizes that her bond with the University is long-lasting.

“This school really emphasizes community and lifelong connections.”