Real world experience for undergraduates usually comes in the form of internships or summer jobs. One Penn State student has taken it one step further by running for political office while still in college.

Richard Rabuck (sophomore-political science) will be sworn in as the youngest member of the Northern Lebanon School District Board of Education on Dec. 9.

Rabuck, a 19-year-old student at Penn State Berks, was elected to the board Nov. 6 after running a campaign of knocking on doors and putting up yard signs, efforts that Rabuck said cost him $80 of his own money.

"It's the school district I graduated from, and I felt it needed some changes," Rabuck said in explaining why he decided to run for the position. "And I'm interested in a career in politics."

Not only will the job give him a head start in his career, it will help him in his academic career as well.

"I'm actually getting three credits for a political science internship so the time I would be spending in class I can put toward this," Rabuck said.

Randall Newnham, Rabuck's political science professor and internship adviser, calls Rabuck's position "unique."

"It's certainly real world experience. . . . He'll find out that politics is a messy job. You've got a lot of people to please, and it's kind of an impossible job. It's neat for him to find out how public institutions work in a democracy," Newnham said.

Rabuck does have concerns about his young age.

"It might be a little harder to gain the respect of the board members. Without me, the average age (of the board) is about 45 . . . I think it'll take time, but eventually it will be OK," he said.

Rabuck has clear goals he wants to achieve during his four-year term.

"The first thing that I want to look at is the curriculum because (the district) doesn't offer many advanced courses. Another thing is the drug policy because there's a rather high drug rate in the district," Rabuck said.

The board represents the four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school of the four townships in the Northern Lebanon school district. Rabuck described the basic responsibilities of the board as hiring and firing teachers and superintendents. It meets twice a month.

Rabuck said the experience of running for the position was more positive than he thought it would be. He got support from family, friends and former teachers.

Rabuck's 24-year-old brother, Lloyd Rabuck Jr. was one such supporter. Rabuck Jr. helped his brother win the primary election. He thinks that his brother will make a good board member because "he's very serious about it and committed to it."

Though Rabuck Jr. stands behind his brother's decision, he says he has no similar aspirations.

"I'm very proud of him and I'm happy for him, but politics is not for me," he said.