WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s been a year since Democrat Val Demings left Congress, following her unsuccessful race to unseat Republican Senator Marco Rubio. 

Since then she’s been traveling the country to give speeches on democracy, and doing some work with the nonprofit Bipartisan Policy Center. But, soon she will take on a new role as a Spring Fellow at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service.

Her discussion topic for students: Leadership and Politics: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

“The whole purpose when we go in front of college students is to encourage them and inspire them to get involved in public service. We still need a few good men and women to get involved in public service, whether it’s a local level, state level or the national level,” Demings said.

Over the course of eight weeks she will lead conversations while sharing her own perspective as a former member of Congress, police chief and social worker. 

“We’re going to talk about leadership and the ‘why.’ Why do you want to be the leader? We’re going to talk about January 6th, and you know, how leadership showed up on that day, or did not show up on that day? We’re going to talk about the House of Representatives. And is it really as chaotic as it appears?” she said.  

As another U.S. Senate race in Florida gets underway, she had this advice to Democrats this time around — “I think Florida lost its very comfortable, democratic voter registration advantage because we got comfortable, we took some things for granted. You know, the other party was working, they never stopped around the clock... Look, I’m not giving up on Florida. No, I don’t like the position that we’re in right now. But, I do believe that Florida is still a state that’s worth fighting for,” she said.

Demings also hasn’t closed the door on running for public office again some day.

“I get that question every day. And it’s a very humbling experience,” she said. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ll ever run for public office again. You know, I am a woman of faith. And, I really do believe that wherever I am most needed, that’s where I hope to be.”

Demings will begin leading her weekly 90-minute discussion groups at Georgetown University next month.