Rebecca Frank鈥檚 undergraduate internship taps into pop culture to boost civic engagement on social media.
Let鈥檚 be honest鈥攚hat do you really know about how the US government regulates nuclear energy and materials? What exactly can be sold, bought, or stored鈥攍egally鈥攁nd by whom?
Thanks to Rebecca (Becky) Frank 鈥�25, who just completed the requirements for a bachelor鈥檚 degree in and at the , here鈥檚 to fill you in.
Based on the 1985 sci-fi movie , Frank鈥攖ongue-in-cheek鈥攖eases out what鈥檚 possible and what may land you, well, on the FBI鈥檚 wanted list. Or as Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox鈥檚 character) put it succinctly: 鈥淒oc, you don鈥檛 just walk into a store and buy plutonium!鈥�
Frank鈥檚 video, performed by executive director Jillian Youngblood, is part of a series of social media clips produced by the national, nonpartisan organization that seeks to increase Americans鈥� civic engagement. Using well-known movies from the ’80s and ’90s, the clips explain specific aspects of federal, state, and local government in the US.
Frank wrote the script and produced the video as part of an internship offered in partnership between the University of Rochester鈥檚 and Civic Genius. Founded by a prominent Rochester area business leader, Howard Konar, Civic Genius鈥攏ow a program of the 鈥攑rovides educational programming and facilitates discussions to try to help Americans engage as democratic citizens.
Besides the Back to the Future explainer, Frank also worked on three other blockbuster-based videos yet to be released: the movie to explain maritime law, to dive into the concept of executive action, and to delve into the US Department of the Treasury鈥檚 bearer bonds.
So far, six Rochester undergraduates have gone through the program that began in the fall of 2022.
鈥淪tudents who participate in the internship get hands-on experience in civic education,鈥� says , the associate director of the Democracy Center and an associate professor in the University鈥檚 . 鈥淚t allows students to explore the practical implications of some of the conceptual puzzles they encounter in the academic study of democratic politics.鈥�
Frank says she was intrigued to learn what factors can determine a person鈥檚 civic participation and why it matters: 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for the general public to become involved in mixed-group discussion across political lines, in order to gain a greater understanding of others鈥� perspectives.鈥�
Going forward, Frank plans to attend law school and eventually practice family law.
鈥淭his internship really helped me put together everything I have learned throughout my political science courses and see how they apply in the real world,鈥� she says. Frank wants to remain involved with organizations that focus on encouraging political participation and civic engagement, trying to play her part in reducing society鈥檚 polarization, and helping to normalize productive political discourse.
鈥淎s an organization,鈥� Jordan says, 鈥淐ivic Genius is a great partner for the Democracy Center because it focuses on increasing the civic capacity of all Americans, regardless of their partisanship or policy views.鈥�
Great Scott! Watch Becky Frank鈥檚 Civic Genius video
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