University of Richmond students selected for Virginia Governor’s Fellows Program
Student Experience
Each year, hundreds of students and recent graduates apply for the prestigious Virginia Governor’s Fellowship. This year, 2025 graduate Cheryl Oppan and third-year Richmond Law School student Dan von Sohsten were among the 29 selected for the cohort. The fellows work in the Office of the Governor and assist in furthering agency programs and initiatives from June to the beginning of August.
Cheryl Oppan, 2025 UR graduate
Oppan, a double major in leadership studies and political science, is assigned to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, which is made up of 12 agencies and represents a third of the state budget.
“So far I’ve helped with some pressing public health issues projects, as well as assisting with event coordination and bill signings,” Oppan said. She also conducts policy research for programs and initiatives and prepares written materials for meetings.
While she’s served in student government and studied political science abroad in Australia, taking part in an internship with the General Assembly earlier this year opened her eyes to the possibility of a career in state government.
“Being able to witness advocacy groups and organizations come in and lobby for issues that are really important to them made the experience so gratifying,” she said. “It was confirmation for me that I wanted to work in government and contribute to the community.”
As part of the General Assembly internship, Oppan watched the deliberation of a maternal health bill and then witnessed it get signed by the governor during her fellowship. “This bill has been instrumental in helping mothers and babies get access to the care that they need, whether it's during pregnancy or postpartum,” she said. “Being able to see these bills come to fruition has been a very rewarding experience.”
Oppan applied to the fellowship with the hopes of deepening her understanding of the legislative and policy components of state government. “I also wanted to advance initiatives that I value and care about. My interest in maternal health peaked this year and fortunately, enhanced maternal healthcare is one of the governor’s top priorities,” she said. “Being able to see the direct impact of policy and legislation has been really cool.”
Oppan will be applying to Master’s in Public Policy programs this fall.
Dan von Sohsten, third-year Richmond Law student
Dan von Sohsten, who has long been interested in politics and public service, had previously interned in county offices, a U.S. House district office in his native Florida, and in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly. He applied to the Governor’s fellowship program to learn more about the executive branch of government.
Unlike Oppan, he is not working with an agency, but directly with the policy team.
“I’m attracted to state-level government and find it productive and substantive,” he said. “I’ll have lots of time after law school to work in law firms.”
His fellowship role often involves writing briefs, whether summarizing an issue or proposing possible avenues to pursue. As a law student, he also receives more specialized tasks where he is asked to make legal recommendations.
While interning with the General Assembly, he saw how legislators were able to get 900 bills out the door in 45 to 60 days. Now, like Oppan, he’s witnessing these bills being put into effect.
There hasn’t been just one highlight of his fellowship that he’ll remember. “It’s really been the whole experience. It’s being here, and seeing how the sausage is made, what goes into making decisions, and how they are discussed,” von Sohsten said. “The executive side manages a $93 billion budget and 120,000 employees. I honestly didn’t realize the amount of work involved in running a state. It kind of blew me away.”
His plans after graduation are to work for a law firm, but he hasn’t ruled out returning to state government one day.