In the 2020 spring semester I left West Lafayette to live in Washington D.C. for an internship in the House of Representatives.
For my internship I worked for Representative Jim Baird of Indiana’s fourth congressional district (IN-04). It was an amazing experience that opened my eyes to the wide and bustling world of American politics and policy. I was front and center to huge important events like President Trump’s impeachment trial, the Soleimani Airstrike, and the Coronavirus Pandemic.
I worked closely with numerous of congressional staffers, legislative directors, and chiefs of staff on projects and proposals. For instance, I wrote memo briefs on hot topics like surprise medical billing, analyzed legislation comparison on the U.S. Farm Bills, and co-sponsor information cards for bills Hon. Baird was proposing.
As a full employee I had full and complete access to government facilities to work in that normal people usually cannot explore. This included the Capitol Building, U.S. House and Senate galleries, the Library of Congress, and the underground tunnel network benefit the city (I would literally walk through Nancy Pelosi’s office chambers while running paperwork to the Capitol!). I also attended committee hearings help by Congressmen and briefs to learn more about issues facing our government.
I would recommend a ‘Capitol Hill’ internship to anyone interested in the world of policy and politics. The experience not only educates you, but enables you to experience what it is really like within politics (and let me tell you it’s not how it may seem).
Questions? Contact: Bernard1@purude.edu
-Mazie
NRESsays 