Growing up in Oldham County, Kentucky, Marianna Grabova always wanted to attend the University of Kentucky. Raised in a Ukrainian-American family that emphasized education, working hard and being kind to others, Grabova knew once she arrived on campus as a freshman in 2024 that she wanted to make a difference and make her family proud.  

After completing her first year in the Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES) program at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Grabova was selected to join a group of eight students in Kentucky to participate in U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell's summer 2025 internship program to introduce them to members of Congress and events happening in the nation's Capital. 

Working directly for McConnell, Grabova’s experience placed her right in the “big league of politics,” connecting her with senators and local representatives who discussed important policies and procedures that impact Kentuckians and beyond. 

“I was proud to represent the University of Kentucky and my college in a space where major decisions are made,” Grabova said. “I worked on the military and foreign affairs team while also assisting agriculture and energy. I learned that there’s a lot of policy around agriculture and energy that impact Kentucky, directly tying to what I’ve been studying at UK.”

During this paid six-week internship experience, Grabova reported to one of the military foreign affairs legislative correspondents, working on important briefings, preparing memos, answering phone calls for constituents, giving tours and more.

Hannah Angel, NRES director of undergraduate studies at Martin-Gatton CAFE, was one of Grabova’s strongest advocates.

"I'm very proud of Marianna's ambition to seek meaningful experiences during her time at UK,” Angel said. “The internship illuminates her strong commitment to personal and professional growth. Students like Marianna may wish to focus their studies on economics and policy analysis to learn how they can help shape the future at local and national levels."

The internship helped Grabova grow and see more about what is happening behind the scenes. Furthermore, she learned how much these policies impact Kentuckians and the agriculture industry.

“I feel more well-rounded and that I’ve matured through this experience,” Grabova said. “I got to see how the government really works and how much what’s happening on the national level impacts Kentucky. Everything you need to know is not just in a textbook, and some things on paper are just different in real life.”

Grabova is excited about continuing her education at UK and offers some advice for students who want to make a difference in their communities.

“This place just feels like home,” Grabova said. “I’m loving my classes and constantly surrounded by people that are ambitious. For students, remember to get involved outside of class, including congressional internships. I hope more students take advantage of programs like this. Let’s do our part in advocating for Kentucky.”

To learn more about students, programs, scholarships, internships and additional campus resources at Martin-Gatton CAFE, visit https://students.ca.uky.edu.  

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Writer: Christopher Carney, Christopher.Carney@uky.edu 
 

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.