Submitted photo Mimi Ferguson of Belington, left, completed an internship in the Washington, D.C. office of Senator Shelley Moore Capito, right, during the summer.

CHARLESTON – A college student from Belington spent the summer making connections and learning the ropes as an intern in the Washington, D.C. office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

Mimi Ferguson, a former Philip Barbour High School valedictorian and student body president, said she is grateful to Capito for “this invaluable and inspiring experience,” which has shaped her educational and career pursuits.

Currently in her last year of undergraduate studies at West Virginia University, Ferguson will be graduating from the WVU Honors College in May 2026, a year early, with a double major in criminology and psychology, having maintained a 4.0 GPA.

During her time as an intern in D.C., Ferguson worked with office staff on special projects and research, sat in on Congressional hearings, handled constituency requests, led Capitol tours, and networked with members of Congress and government officials.

Ferguson attends WVU on several scholarships, including the prestigious Hagan Foundation Scholarship, which is awarded to an average of only 1,000 students nationwide annually. She hopes to attend WVU College of Law next year and, as a Knight of the Golden Horseshoe, plans to remain in West Virginia to build her career and future.

Ferguson is the daughter of Tim and Holly Ferguson, and Lisa Weese and Chris Phillips, all of Belington. Her grandparents are Patty Weese and the late Arnold Weese, and Betty Ferguson and the late Wilson Ferguson.

While at WVU, Ferguson has been active in the Student Government Association, serving as community engagement coordinator and local government laison, where she has developed and maintains a strong working relationship with Morgantown’s City Council and Human Rights Commission.

She is an undergraduate teaching assistant in the Psychology Department, a member of the Psychology Honorary, Psi Chi, and an ambassador for the Sociology/Anthropology/Criminology Department.

Ferguson serves as treasurer of the WVU Sociology Club, secretary of the WVU ROOTS Advisory Board, and is active in WVU Women in Law and Mountaineers for Solar.

She is currently employed part-time in the WVU Office of Student Engagement and Leadership. She previously was employed part-time at Elkins Walmart for four years while attending school, and interned with the WV Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit Court, consisting of Barbour and Taylor counties.

Ferguson volunteers with WV Rhododendron Girls State as a counselor, Wreaths Across America, WV Rivers, the Rosenbaum Family House, Morgantown Community Cleanup, and the Stonehaven Home.

In her spare time, she loves to hike and enjoy the outdoors. Ferguson has climbed WV Nelson Rocks Via Ferrata, rafted the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania, and been skydiving in Virginia. She is now looking forward to studying abroad in Guatemala over Christmas break this year.