Allison DeHart

A Bit About Me

My name is Allison DeHart, and I graduate May 2025 from the University of South Carolina receiving a B.A. in Political Science with Leadership Distinction in the Professional & Civic Engagement Pathway. 

 Throughout my time at USC, I’ve had the chance to work on a variety of research projects—studying attorney behavior at the Supreme Court with Dr. Jessica Schoenherr and working on disaster policy implementation with Dr. Rebecca Entress. All of this has culminated in my thesis, which focuses on the Supreme Court case Chevron v. NRDC and the decline of bureaucratic power. 

Through my research, I found a passion for environmental policy, which led me to seek out internships where I could explore it further. I started with the legal team at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (now SCDES), then spent a summer with my hometown’s City Attorney’s Office, where I even got to inspect a sewage plant and see firsthand how local governments handle environmental regulation. From there, I worked in the civil division of the SC Attorney General’s Office, gaining insight into the state court system. The following spring, I spent a semester in DC interning with Congressman Russell Fry’s office, where I got an inside look at the legislative process and Republican efforts to scale back regulatory agencies. Through all of these experiences, I’ve worked at every level and in all three branches of government. 

Now, I’m back at SCDES as an administrative assistant in the Office of General Counsel, and I really enjoy the work—I hope to keep building on this experience. My plan is to gain more hands-on experience in environmental law before heading to law school, with the ultimate goal of becoming an attorney in the field. 

Environmental law is evolving rapidly, especially as courts and legislatures chip away at administrative powers. Seeing firsthand how different branches and levels of government respond to these changes has helped me understand how to adapt and navigate government work in times of structural shifts. With this understanding, I believe that I am uniquely situated to be a force for positive change and governmental stability in my future career.