Youngest leader to serve three Pennsylvania counties
On Jan. 1, 2019, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives swore in Johnathan Hershey ’15, to serve the 82nd district. He is the youngest GOP candidate to represent Franklin, Juniata and Mifflin counties.
As a Juniata County native, Hershey has focused his attention on agricultural issues, such as permit processes and environmental regulations for local farmers. As a member of the judiciary committee, he works to reform civil laws affecting local businesses and family farms.
As a double major in politics and economics, Hershey gives credit to Messiah College for igniting his political fire and teaching him valuable critical thinking skills. “My politics professors taught me how to think, not what to think,” he explained.
While a student at Messiah, he participated in education abroad England and Ireland, volunteered through the Agape Center and participated in the Collaboratory.
Hershey says he is thankful to serve the 82nd district. “It’s incredible the amount of trust my community has placed in me,” he said. “I’m thankful to represent my local neighbors and be a positive voice for rural Pennsylvania.”
—Emily Koontz ’20
Messiah student to state rep in no time
✓ Interned with Speaker of the House John Boehner
✓ Managed Hiinga, an agricultural microfinance nonprofit
✓ Co-founded Bantu Coffee, a coffee company providing grants to nonprofits working to advance coffee operations
✓ Worked for Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) in Washington, D.C., helping to write federal agricultural insurance programs and reform crop-subsidizing laws
✓ Elected to 82nd district for Pennsylvania House of Representatives