I loved contributing to the work of a Congressional office and being able to learn more about how the legislative process works and see what the Congresswoman and her staff’s work is like. I especially enjoyed responding to constituent inquiries as it was interesting to see what people in the district were thinking about each week, attending briefings on a wide range of topics to take notes for our staff, greeting visitors and lobbyists in the office and learning about their work, and writing bill recommendations for the Congresswoman to cosponsor, which helped give me a better idea of what working as a Legislative Assistant would be like. Additionally, the staff in Congresswoman Pingree’s office were amazing, and I was so fortunate to be able to work in such a great environment.
What I wish was different
I honestly loved the experience and don’t wish anything was different!
Advice
I would recommend applying for a Hill internship to any student interested in the policymaking process, regardless of their major. I am not a Government major, but I’m interested in policy from an environmental perspective (had previous experience lobbying Congress for climate legislation, and taking ES and EOS classes), and really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot.
