Just one year after graduating from Father Gabriel Richard High School, Alex McGlade ’25 spent his summer in Washington, D.C., gaining a firsthand look at the legislative process as a Legislative Intern with the U.S. House of Representatives.
Now a student at Bellarmine University, Alex is studying Economics and Accounting through the university’s Early Entry MBA program while pursuing a Pre-Law track. His interests in economics, public policy, and law came together during his internship, where he researched and analyzed legislation, met with lobbyists and advocacy groups, and worked most closely on issues involving financial market regulation (including the stock market, cryptocurrency, and prediction markets) as well as fiscal policy, taxation, and government spending.
The experience also gave Alex the opportunity to meet some of the nation’s most influential political figures. But for Alex, the most valuable part of the summer went beyond the people he met or the legislation he studied. It was an opportunity to put into practice lessons he first developed in the halls of FGR: ask questions, engage in conversation, build relationships, and never be afraid to seek out someone who can offer guidance.
In fact, Alex credits his FGR experience with helping him land the internship in the first place. After applying in October 2025 and completing several interviews, he connected with a recruiter who was also a Catholic high school graduate, creating an immediate point of connection.
As Alex looks toward law school and a future working with legislation in Congress, he carries with him more than an interest in public service. He carries the lessons of teachers and mentors who taught him to think critically, serve others, remain grateful, and—perhaps most importantly—keep asking questions.
We caught up with Alex to hear more about his summer on Capitol Hill, the FGR teachers and experiences that shaped him, and the advice he has for the students who are following in his footsteps.
What was the focus of your internship?
The title of my role was Legislative Intern. So aside from the basic internship duties like answering the phone and making copies, I focused on legislation, this ranged from doing research and analyzing bills, to meeting with lobbyists and advocacy groups to discuss funding proposals or vote recommendations. I specifically worked the most with financial market regulation, so things like the stock market, crypto, and prediction markets, and fiscal policy – things like taxation and government spending.
I landed this role with a lot of luck and honestly because I attended FGR. The recruiter who I had my first two interviews with attended Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills, and so we easily connected over that. I applied for the internship in early October of 2025 and went through about four different interviews before I received an offer to join the D.C. Office.
What were the most exciting parts of your internship?
I think the most exciting parts of my work this past summer were being in the Nation’s Capital for the 250th Anniversary of the country and getting to meet so many influential people like Scott Bessent the Secretary of the Treasury Department, Amy Coney Barrett who is a sitting United States Supreme Court Judge, and the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. In the future I would like to graduate law school and earn my J.D., and hopefully continue working with legislation in the United States Congress.
Are there any moments or experiences from Father Gabriel Richard that still stick with you today?
There definitely are a lot of moments that still stick with me from my time at FGR, but I would like to talk about two of them. Overall, it was the people who made the place so good. A big part of interning in D.C. is connecting with as many people as you can. I think the reason I was able to do that so well was because the students and teachers at FGR allowed conversation and dialogue, which led to growth in my confidence in public speaking, asking questions, or going up to strangers who hold important positions and asking them if they would be able to get coffee with me and pass on some advice. So, to answer the question, I think the experience of openness to students asking many questions is what has stuck with me the most.
The second experience will be familiar to anyone who has had Mr. Dotson teach them. One thing Mr. Dotson did during the beginning of the semester was give everyone a pocketbook constitution, and every time he saw you around school, he would say, “Do you have your Constitution and your Rosary?” and he would stop you in the hallway in-between classes and make sure you were carrying both of them at all times. Obviously, the power and importance of the Rosary speaks for itself, but by carrying the Constitution around all the time, I got very familiar with what it actually said. I never thought knowing the constitution so well would be of use in the real world, but this summer Mr. Dotson definitely proved me wrong.
Is there a specific teacher or coach that mentored you while at Father Gabriel Richard?
I would like to name three different people. The first being Mr. McNally. I had him sophomore year for the first time and, as my peers in the class and Mr. McNally himself can vouch, I asked a lot of questions, and he would always do his best to answer. A lot of times I would talk with him after class or school to continue asking questions and I am confident that his willingness to debate with me and take time out of his day to answer the many questions I had are the main reasons that I was able to form my critical thinking and my confidence to ask questions.
The others are Mr. and Mrs. Hoban. Mrs. Hoban truly taught me what loving others as yourself looks like in practice. Throughout my years at FGR I had struggles with my health, and throughout said time, Mrs. Hoban was always there to talk me through it and be a helping hand whenever and wherever one was needed, even if it meant she would have to stay up late grading. Mr. Hoban showed me what servant leadership looks like. Even though he is an incredibly busy man, he was always willing to examine an injury I, or one of the hundred other FGR athletes, had on the field and give us recommendations on how to heal quicker or help us through our rehabilitation. Beyond that, both of them taught me the importance of gratitude. I remember Mrs. Hoban had my class write down one thing we were grateful for at the start of every class, which I will not lie, at the time seemed like a pointless task. Over time, though, I truly started to see the blessings in my life more clearly and was able to focus on the good rather than the bad. Mr. Hoban taught me a saying that I still say to myself whenever I am stressed or upset, that is “Amor Fati” which translates from Latin as “the love of fate” or “Lover of fate.” This, again, taught me that no matter what was happening in my life, life itself is a gift, and we ought to love the ups and the downs because it is all a part of God’s plan.
If you could give current Father Gabriel Richard students one piece of advice for preparing for their future, what would it be?
If I could give one piece of advice to FGR students, it would be this: do not be afraid to ask the people around you for help, especially people from the FGR community. Everyone was in your shoes at some point, and a lot of people will be willing to help.