From The Valley to The Hill: UTRGV Graduates Benefit from Archer Fellowship Program

Archer Fellowship Program

From The Valley to The Hill: UTRGV Graduates Benefit from Archer Fellowship Program

By Matthew Cavazos

Two University of Texas Rio Grande Valley seniors, Matthew Rodríguez from Pharr and Anthony Hernández from Edinburg, spent their final undergraduate semester during 2024 in Washington, D.C., as part of the Archer Fellowship Program, interning for Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, D-Brooklyn, New York. Jeffries has served as House Minority Leader and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023.

The Archer Center provides students in the University of Texas System opportunities to develop their skills in local, state, federal, and international public service through internships and experiential learning.

As UTRGV students, Rodríguez and Hernández had similar destinations. While their paths diverged a bit during the fellowship, the lessons learned will serve them well as new UTRGV graduates launching their individual careers in politics.

Matthew Rodríguez

Matthew Rodríguez, from Pharr, graduated from UTRGV on Saturday, May 11, 2024, during the 12:30 p.m. commencement ceremony at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, along with three minors: Legal Studies, Mass Communications, and History.

Rodríguez has always had an interest in government. He and his mother started a tradition of watching the State of the Union Address together, inspiring him to pursue his passion through the power of the press.

“I interned with The Monitor,” Rodríguez said. “I wrote newspaper articles for about five months. Then, I realized I wanted to be in the policy-making process.”

This realization led him to intern with Congressman Vicente González, D-McAllen, where he worked with constituents on various issues. Subsequently, he interned in Austin for Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, during the 88th Texas Legislature’s regular session.

“I loved it. It was an amazing experience and they taught me the ins and outs of the Capitol,” Rodríguez said. “After that, they offered me a full-time position in the Edinburg office, and I worked there for about a year.”

Upon returning to UTRGV, Rodríguez applied for the Archer Fellowship Program after seeing posters in the Liberal Arts building. He was accepted and began his internship in Jeffries’ office in the spring.

Rodríguez worked on the House Floor in the Democratic Cloakroom, a coveted spot where members and staff rely on cloakroom managers for legislative updates and the current status of the House.

“I never thought I would be here within the federal sector,” Rodríguez said. “Growing up as a first-generation college student, I never thought it would be possible for me to be in government. I’m just thankful to UTRGV for providing the experiences, resources, and connections for me to be here.”

Rodríguez’s mother continued their tradition of watching the State of the Union, and during the 2024 address, she saw a familiar face in the crowd of 500. Rodríguez received a text from his mother, smiling and pointing at him on the screen.

Rodríguez returned to the Valley to attend his graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 11, 2024, and then flew back to Washington, D.C., to start a three-month internship with the Committee on Homeland Security.

“My short-term goal is to focus on the national security sector,” Rodríguez said. “I plan on applying to law school within the next couple of years, and then jump into an agency as a legal counsel.”

He is not ruling out a return to the Valley to contribute to creating a better environment for the next generation.

Anthony Hernández

Anthony Hernández, from Edinburg, also graduated from UTRGV on May 11, 2024, during the 12:30 p.m. commencement ceremony at Bert Ogden Arena. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in English.

Hernández’s first experience in a congressional office came through the VLIP program, where he worked with Rep. Janie López at the State Capitol in Austin. This experience opened doors for Hernández and led to his acceptance into the Archer Fellowship Program.

As an Archer Fellow, Hernández interned in Congressman Jeffries’ personnel and policy office, working closely with senior policy advisors.

“The Archer gave me the opportunity to work with a really great internship,” Hernández said. “It encourages you to seek out whatever legislative priorities you may have interest in. Apart from working on policy, we attended meetings on behalf of the office, scheduled events around the Capitol, and assisted with operations and administrative tasks.”

Hernández returned to the Valley for his graduation and his siblings’ graduations. He plans to attend law school and hopes to return to the Valley to serve his community and possibly run for office.

“After law school, I would like to return to the Texas House and serve as a chief of staff or general counsel to one of the representatives I admire and respect,” Hernández said. “And I would like to return to the Rio Grande Valley, not only to start a family, but also to run for office myself.”

About The Archer Center

“The Archer Center is where Texas meets the world,” according to the Archer Center website. As the Washington, D.C., campus of the University of Texas System, the Center provides talented students from across the UT System with the opportunity to live, learn, and intern in the nation’s capital.

About UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013, providing expanded educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. UTRGV has campuses throughout the region, including a new School of Medicine, and is dedicated to serving the educational needs of the community.

For More Information

For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature.