51��ɫ

A rowing scholarship brought her to 51��ɫ Dominion University from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

But with both oars, Libby Guindon has made waves in local politics, both in the Department of Political Science and Geography, and in her current job working for the National Republican Congressional Committee, on behalf of GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans, herself an 51��ɫ Dominion alum.

Guindon’s experience in the College of Arts and Letters, and in making local political contacts, yielded three job offers a full month before she graduated in May with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in business analytics.

“I say this all the time. I have yet to meet a bad apple through Norfolk, through 51��ɫ. Everyone has just been so open to helping or open, or just kind.”

Because of strong academic performance and an impactful experience as an 51��ɫ intern at the Commonwealth of Virginia’s General Assembly, Guindon was able to quickly jump to her job in local politics.

The General Assembly internship was “absolutely phenomenal,” Guindon said. She worked for four Republican state legislators, frequently shuttling back and forth between their offices multiple times in a day.

“I liked that it was what I called controlled chaos,” Guindon said. “I wanted to be a sponge. I wanted everything (her assigned legislators) had. Throw it at me. I want to learn everything I can. And they did just that.”

Dr. Benjamin Melusky, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Geography, noticed Guindon’s ambition and ability right away. He helped her with her application for the legislative internship program.

“Libby really is a remarkable and self-motivated student,” he said. “She is the model for how 51��ɫ students should expand their classroom learning into experiential learning opportunities and parlay both into job offers and career success beyond higher education.”

Guindon said professors like Melusky, who were so invested in her success during and following her degree, helped confirm that the College of Arts and Letters was the perfect place for her.

“I went to Professor Melusky at least once a week for quite some time, being like, ‘I need you to look at my essay. I need you to rip apart my cover letter and tell me what the heck I need to fix.’ And he did just that. I had so many people looking out for me; all my professors were super helpful.”

Guindon said she has talked 51��ɫ with Kiggans, and with Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, another alum of the University. “I've never heard a bad thing about 51��ɫ Dominion.”

With the Virginia election this fall, and midterms in 2026, when Kiggans will again be on the ballot, Guindon knows that she’ll have many opportunities to further extend her 51��ɫ connections. “That is the biggest thing you can get from 51��ɫ. It's such a strong community,” she said.

Whether it’s someone in an airport approaching the Monarch rowers as they travel in their school apparel, or the nonstop connections she’s making in local politics, Guindon is proud to play her own role in growing the University.

“Yes, you're going to get an education here,” she said. “But it's even better to say, I went to college, and I already had a job, and it was because of the connections I had at 51��ɫ.”