![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2017\/07\/MIke-NIchola-2-e1499438799127.png\")
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University of Central Florida political science alumnus Mike Nichola ’11 MA\u00a0goes to work every day to make a difference.<\/p>\n
Nichola works as a legislative director for Congressman Darren Soto in his Washington, D.C., office, but his journey started with an entirely different major at UCF.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was originally going to go to UCF for a degree in engineering because it had a strong reputation for the College of Engineering,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After some time, Nichola realized that engineering wasn\u2019t the best design for him. It was his experience taking social sciences classes where he discovered his passion for politics and government.<\/p>\n
He has had many memorable moments at UCF including founding the UCF fencing club and being an active member in the UCF College Democrats. During his freshman year, Nichola also ran a radio show with Knightcast called Uber Friday. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt was a lot of fun,\u201d he expressed. \u201cI vividly remember one year I was the on-the-scene reporter for \u2018live from Spirit Splash\u2019 where I called in from my cell phone while in the reflection pond.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Nichola, UCF helped him achieve his dream career in a couple of ways. Through the internship program,\u00a0\u00a0he obtained\u00a0an internship with Senator Bill Nelson\u2019s constituent office where he gained connections and experience that would later help him excel in his career in government.<\/p>\n He also received the UCF Legislative Scholarship, which allowed him to spend his last semester at UCF in Tallahassee working for the Florida Legislature. During that time, he further expanded his network and found himself a job in a Congressional office.<\/p>\n Nichola is now an attorney that has an extraordinary job. \u00a0He worked his way up from entry level intern to legislative director, where he currently manages a Member of Congress\u2019s Legislative office on Capitol Hill. He enjoys his job where he is exposed to countless once in a lifetime experiences.<\/p>\n \u201cOn a typical day, I can meet an ambassador from a foreign country to talk about trade, speak to farmers about Florida citrus, and then chat with astronauts about how they intend to be the first person to walk on Mars,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n And his career gives him the rare opportunity to make an impact on a large scale.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve drafted legislation, which subsequently passed the House, that\u2019s increased funds for tax counseling for the elderly, provided additional funding for veterans with PTSD, redirected funds to conduct research on prostate cancer and Gulf War illness, established minimum smart electric meter privacy standards, and authorized energy innovation hubs, among other things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time one of the amendments I wrote passed, it was the most amazing and surreal experience,\u201d he said. \u201cI was sitting on the House Floor with the Congressman while I watched as my amendment was debated and accepted by voice vote. I just couldn\u2019t believe that something I wrote was translated into public law.\u201d<\/p>\n Nichola loves that he can help people through his work. And he has advice for students and fellow alumni in the hopes that he can help them too.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be where I am today, if UCF hadn\u2019t given me the opportunities to participate in internships with Senator Nelson\u2019s office or with the Florida Legislature,\u201d he said. \u201cOne opportunity leads to another and you can\u2019t always see where these little opportunities will take you, so do the best that you can and trust that everything will work out.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" University of Central Florida political science alumnus Mike Nichola ’11 MA\u00a0goes to work every day to make a difference. Nichola works as a legislative director for Congressman Darren Soto in his Washington, D.C., office, but his journey started with an entirely different major at UCF. \u201cI was originally going to go to UCF for a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":21951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5962,31,20,38,13,16,41],"tags":[4832,4833,4831,2711],"class_list":["post-21947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-science-alumni","category-alumni-news","category-psaclassnotes","category-breaking-news","category-news","category-political-science-departments","category-shining-knights","tag-darren-soto","tag-florida-legislature","tag-mike-nichola","tag-political-science"],"yoast_head":"\n