Virginia State Senator Saddam Salim (BS Public Administration, ’12, MPA ’15), who represents Northern Virginia’s 37th district, returned to Merten Hall at George Mason University on September 26, for a “build-your-own-bill” workshop sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECiL) at his alma mater.
The workshop was organized by Schar School of Policy and Government students Griffin Crouch, a junior majoring in government and international politics, and me, a 2024 graduate with a BS in Public Administration, now pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree while working as a graduate professional assistant at CECiL.
More than a dozen students from schools across George Mason attended. Salim began by outlining the committees he serves on in the Virginia Senate and offered a glimpse into a senator’s day-to-day responsibilities, punctuating his remarks with anecdotes about legislative procedure and the realities of politics.
Once the stage was set, Salim guided us through the lifecycle of a bill—from introduction to the governor’s desk—while offering strategies for navigating political hurdles to maximize the chances of passage. His stories brought the legislative process to life, sparking questions and lively discussion throughout.
During a breakout session, we proposed a range of legislative ideas, including reforms to in-state tuition eligibility and initiatives to expand opportunities for students with disabilities.
Master of Public Administration student Adam Rizzoli (BA, government and international politics, ’24) came to the workshop with a new bill idea—one that built on an earlier similar collaboration with Salim on disability policy.
“Statistically, disabled students experience fewer social connections relative to our peers, which holds us from making friends and receiving peer support to succeed at university,” Rizzoli said. “I believe that the state legislature should look into this issue, particularly how universities handle it, so we can solve this issue. I am advocating for a study into this problem and looking into creating social spaces for disabled students.”
Another participant, Casey Batz, a criminology, law and society junior from Pennsylvania, focused on changing language in Virginia’s residency requirements for in-state tuition.
“When it comes to students qualifying for in-state tuition, language needs to be clarified, qualifications need to be realistic and accessible, and the process to change domicile should work for students, not against them, especially when they pay Virginia taxes, have Virginia addresses, and contribute so much to our wonderful state,” she said.
“Having Senator Salim here was an amazing opportunity for students to bring our issues to the table and shed light on what the community needs,” Batz added. “Students and members of the legislative body should continue to work together to ensure a bright future for the next generation of students, elected officials, and other changemakers.”
Salim welcomed our proposals with encouragement and constructive feedback, offering insights on how to refine their ideas. Proposals were collected and shared with the senator’s office for official drafting by the Division of Legislative Services (DLS)—the nonpartisan agency that assists Virginia lawmakers with bill preparation and research. Once drafts are complete, we will have the opportunity to review and refine the proposals and potentially work with legislators to sponsor them.
"The legislative process should belong to the people, and ‘build your own bill’ sessions are one way to make that happen,” Salim said after the event. “Hosting my first session at George Mason University was truly inspiring. George Mason students bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives that lawmakers don’t always see, and their voices are worth sharing.”
I have always believed that as a leading R1 university, one of George Mason’s strengths is the innovative thinking that comes out of our student body. That creativity belongs in the policymaking process and strengthens it.
The bills coming out of this workshop, this year and in future years, are sure to provide innovative solutions to address some of the grand challenges facing the Commonwealth of Virginia. Designing them was also a meaningful and career-relevant experiential learning opportunity for attendees. I hope that this event becomes a campus tradition that continues to engage legislators, students, and affiliated university offices and schools for years to come.
