Layla Mathews – a third-year student majoring in International Affairs – recently started her second year as a Contracts Intern with L3Harris Technologies, an aerospace and defense company based in Florida.
Mathews originally started at L3Harris in the summer of 2022, as one of the company’s few legal interns at the time. She enjoyed the experience so much, she asked to come back in 2023.
“I wanted to continue my relationship with L3H, so I asked if there was a possibility I could work part-time during this spring semester, as well as join as a full-time intern in the summer again,” she said. “Luckily, I was offered the part-time and full-time job for 2023.”
Originally from Melbourne, Florida, also home to the L3Harris headquarters, Mathews was drawn to Florida State University because of its reputation in the social sciences.
“I chose to attend FSU because of its opportunities in the social sciences,” Mathews said. “With its proximity to the Capitol and FSU’s prestigious College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, it was the best option for me as someone with an interest in foreign policy.”
She’s been involved in many things around campus since she got to Tallahassee. She is part of the South Asian Student Association and does photography work for two student-run magazines: Strike Magazine and Clutch Magazine.
Her most impactful experience, though, is the time she’s spent on the COSSPP Student Leadership Council (SLC) where she serves as the Alumni Relations Chair. Having started college in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mathews said the SLC helped her get settled on a large campus with 60,000 faculty, staff, and students.
“Coming in during COVID-19, it was difficult to find my place, as I came from a very small school,” Mathews said. “The SLC has helped me meet many wonderful like-minded students, as well as form a connection with our college’s faculty and staff.”
Now, with just over a year until graduation, Mathews is already planning her future career.
“My goal after graduation is to prepare myself as best as possible to attend law school,” she said. “I plan to take a gap year to work and gain more real-world experience before I return to school. Hopefully, working at L3Harris as a full-time employee will be an opportunity for me in the future.”
And thanks to all the hard work she has put in while at FSU, all that feels well within her reach.
“I am confident that FSU has prepared me for entering the work force as a young adult,” Mathews said.
For more information about FSU’s International Affairs program, visit coss.fsu.edu/internationalaffairs.