Another Grace Alumni Shares His Success Story

ALUMNI INTERVIEW-Wiley Severyn, Class of 2020, Department of Education, Trump Administration

Thank you, Wiley, for taking the time to answer a few questions about your time at Grace School.  We value our alumni and hope to continue to build lasting relationships with all of you.

Please give us a little history; what year you graduated, what activities you were involved in, and a favorite memory you have of your years at Grace.

I am pleased to say that I am proud to be a “lifer” at Grace (preschool through 12th). I graduated with the Class of 2020, just at the beginning of the pandemic.

I had the opportunity to be involved in many clubs, organizations, and activities while at Grace. I was a part of the Robotics team and went to the World Championship many times, played saxophone in band, and participated in mock trial in the later years of my time at Grace.

My favorite memory, if I had to name just one, was the Historical Study Tour (HST) with my 8th-grade class. It was something I always looked forward to growing up and it created lifelong memories with my friends. As a history fan and politics buff, it was amazing to be able to tour so many unique sites in one trip, with Washington D.C. being my favorite stop. Little did I know, when touring the Capitol building, I would work there someday.

Since moving to Washington D.C., I have been able to meet up with the current HST trips and tour with them for one of the days. It has been a great way to stay in contact with many of my past teachers and get to know them in a new way!

How did Grace prepare you for life today?

Grace was truly a foundational place for me growing up. I still use much of what I gained from classes and teachers to this day and will continue to use it in the future. Faith is an important part of my life, and Grace allowed me to practice my faith through my schoolwork, which I now incorporate into my daily life. If it weren’t for my amazing teachers, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I recall how intentional each teacher was. Whether they were willing to stay late or help early in the morning, I felt each teacher truly cared about my success.

Where did you go to college and what is your degree?

I went to Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, and my degree is in Politics and Policy (similar to Political Science). I graduated with the Class of 2024. I would highly recommend Liberty to any prospective college applicants. Liberty is very similar to Grace in how it incorporates faith and practical skills into your future career. I had many professors that I am still in contact with today and serve as mentors for my career even outside of academia.

Please share what your professional life looks like today and a little about your family life and faith. 

I am *currently employed in the United States House of Representatives and work for Rep. Darrell Issa from San Diego. I work in his Washington, D.C. office managing his incoming messages and handling some of his domestic policy work, including Education, Housing, and social issues like pro-life policy. My day-to-day is dependent on whether Congress is in session or out of session. Normally, when Congress is in session, I am assisting the member with what he needs pertaining to my portfolio area. I stay up to date with current news and legislation to keep him informed on the latest developments. When Congress is out of session, I am usually researching, writing, and meeting with local stakeholders and leaders from his district. It is a lot of hard work and late nights, but it feels very rewarding to see the fruits of the labor afterward!

I had the fortunate opportunity to be hired in the office I currently work for during my junior year of college. Since then, I have been working for the same congressman. This job has given me so many opportunities to travel the country and meet some amazing people. One of my most memorable moments working in Congress was being able to tour Fort Bragg in North Carolina to view and observe our military’s readiness and operations.

The most meaningful things I’ve worked on while in Congress are meeting with and assisting Capt. Royce Williams, a constituent in Temecula who served in the Korean War and single-handedly took down five Russian MiG fighter jets. He was never recognized for his service due to the secrecy of his mission and heightened tensions during the Cold War. His story was one of the inspirations for the movie Top Gun. We are currently working on getting him the Medal of Honor.

My faith is something that I practice in my daily life. I am fortunate to have found such an amazing community of believers among my colleagues. I am currently in a Bible study of young men led by Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. It has been really encouraging to be surrounded by many like-minded believers in a city that can reject God. I give all to Him, my wins and losses. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for God.

If you could pass along one piece of information to a current Grace student, what would you share with them?

If I could give one piece of advice to a current Grace student, it would be: never say “NO” to a new opportunity. Since entering college and now in the workforce, I have been given so many opportunities to explore, learn, and try new things. Many of these opportunities have led to meaningful connections within my network and assisted me in getting to where I am today.

During the 2024 election, the House of Representatives was looking for staffers to serve as official election observers to monitor the tabulation of votes in contested races. I took the opportunity and got to travel the country to three major congressional races, including southeast Iowa, Fresno County, and Los Angeles County, one of the largest voting counties in the country. Since taking that opportunity, it has led me to pursue new job opportunities and connections I can call upon in the future.

More relevantly to students: when I was looking for internships during my undergrad, I initially wasn’t going to consider the legislative branch of government. A professor encouraged me to “try something I ordinarily wouldn’t do.” That week, I was given an offer to intern for the congressman, and a couple of months later, I was offered a full-time staff position.

Being willing to step out of your comfort zone will pay major dividends toward your end goal. Each thing you do is a building block to success. So get building!

Is there anything additional you would like to add?

I am so thankful for what Grace has given me. To all my amazing teachers, thank you! I really couldn’t have made it to where I am today if it weren’t for your guidance.

To the students reading this: maximize your time at Grace. In the moment, it can feel like a drag, but I promise you, before you know it, you will be walking on that stage to receive your diploma. Try out for that team or role, apply to the class that sounds interesting to you. You don’t know what God has in store for you until you step out of the boat.