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Local college students have been up close and personal with delegates all week

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I'm sure you may have brushed elbows with a delegate or two if you were out and about downtown this week...But imagine getting up close and personal with them all.

That happened for a few fortunate students, and their week long internship has been unlike the rest.

Nine college students have been soaking up every moment of the convention.

"It's been absolutely amazing, it's more than I could've ever expected it," said Keri Russell an honorary delegate.

Her comrade Benjamin Justham, agreed. "It's given me some of those first steps that will help take me where I want to go. Talking to the Lt. Gov Mary Taylor was very cool, and  I've also had some very nice conversations with Ohio delegates as to how they got today," he said.

The young republican political junkies have been able to get a sniff of real world politics, while hobb knobby with some GOP greats.

One of them was Matt Borges, Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.

"We've gotta get these young people involved in the process and I'm so glad that they're having a opportunity to participate in this."

Going from one delegate party to the next, questioning and networking with top level republicans, 20 year old, DaQeayse Swain said this experience has been eye opening.

"I've learned that most people do not know how the specifically GOP works," he said.

Passionate about politics since he was four years old, the fact that he's one of the few African Americans in the room, doesn't shake him, instead, it catapults him toward his hopefully future.

"I take it with pride because you know there's not a lot of black conservatives, hopefully in a few years that will change. I want to be president, so it's in the works it's in the making."

Dr. Lauren Copeland, the group's Faculty Coordinator, explained that's the goal for each one of them to embrace this experience and make it their own.

"I have seen this group completely transform since Monday morning. Some of them were quiet, some of the more shy, so now by the end of the week they are just, seem like different people."

And no party is worth attending without a few photo ops.

"I couldn't imagine a qmore enthusiastic group they are just grabbing people and saying hey take a qphoto with us," said Copeland.

All the partying and events may sound fun, but don't fooled, this group had to do extensive research and write 4 different papers on politics and conventions this summer before they came to the RNC this week.