Politicians, Legislators, and Public Policy Advocates

The internship is a canvassing position. For 5 hours a day (4pm-9pm) you have a section of a neighborhood that you go around and knock on the doors and talk to them about a current environmental issue in their area that the company is fighting for.

AFC employees all care deeply about the mission of the organization and look for candidates who exude enthusiasm and drive towards that goal. A candidate should be cognizant of current political happenings in Illinois as well as the United States (ACA, funding, etc.)

I was contacted by the Administrative and Program Manager for a phone interview. I was asked questions about my experiences in school, work, and politics, and my future plans. Before the interview, think about what you are passionate about that is within the scope of what the ACLU does. Try to ex...

Usually, I would come into work with an email from my supervisor waiting for me, detailing what projects I'd be working on that day. Most days, I did some sort of spreadsheet work or filing press clippings into the database. If the legislature was in session, I always tracked bills that were of i...

For me, the best way to prepare was spending an hour or so reading through their website so I was up-to-date on their current issues, initiatives, and campaigns. This way, I was able to speak intelligently about why I wanted to work at the ACLU, since I understood exactly what they do and what is...

I actually think that I found the Koch Communications Fellowship program on Indeed and interviewed via Skype within a few days of applying. The program is one of the few paid communications/public policy internships in DC not for a company and offers opportunities/convections within the Koch netw...

Reflect upon your experience in multiple areas. Examples might be your experience in activism, event planning, and data entry. Think about practical skills you want to gain from your internship with Feminist.

Liked: I had a lot of freedom when it came to carrying out independent projects, and I always had a sit at the table when it came to strategizing and making decisions around energy campaigns. Disliked: My role was sometimes limited due to time restraints, and I was not able to flesh out my analyt...

At the Union of Concerned Scientists, the team had me go through informational materials and webinars to get up to speed with leading outreach campaigns. These trainings ranged from learning how to use the email delivery software to learning about donor confidentiality and how to organize outreac...

Interview questions are fairly standard but revolve around an individual's motivation surrounding educational policy as well as general passion for change in the current political climate. Make sure to read up on the current political climate, as canvassing and cold calling for SFERAN typically r...

Typically the day starts with a discussion and debrief of the successes of the previous day. Then canvassers get assigned into groups/teams of two to as many as ten people who drive out to their canvassing turf for the day. Depending on the weather and depending who is available to canvass for th...

I'd say operating in a business school environment in general prepared me well for this role as it desensitized me to having to present and speak with many different people. Marketing helped me realize the importance of a well structured sales "pitch" when speaking with members of the community a...

Canvassing is hard work. You have a quota that you have to reach in the first few days to stay on staff, and then a weekly quota from there for monthly membership signups. You may be doing street canvassing or door to door. Be ready to talk to interesting people, angry people, and apathetic peopl...

I completely agree with the other response and would emphasize flexibility and problem solving. Often in that role you will face unexpected challenges and may not be in a place where you can ask for help so being able to find creative solutions is always great.The truly amazing organizers also al...

An average day can consist of door knocking and patrolling multiple high traffic areas (such as malls, shopping centers, live events) for voter registration and volunteer recruitment with your team or individually. Also, attending meetings/ events hosted by local organizations to network and recr...

Read up on the SEIU in general to gain an understanding of what they do. If you are organizing around a particular sector (like home healthcare workers), read up on that as well so you appear knowledgeable going into the interview.

In the morning, you have daily training with one of the managers(You'll learn the script, and tips and tricks to help convince people to help out the cause), and go through daily announcements. You get to know others in the group, and build amazing friendships that will last beyond the job itself...

Being a film major does come with a level of confidence and a personable attitude that makes people gravitate to you more. If you are a film major, I cannot recommend this job enough. It will help you learn more about people, and how they best respond if you want to be a director. Or it can help ...

The important thing is to be friendly. Canvassers need to be personable and motivated, so know why you want to work for them and know about their issues. They were started primarily after the passage of the Clean Water Act, so their main focus is on how energy production and pollution affect the ...

Typically you work from 2PM to 10PM in DC. You knock doors until about 8 or 9PM with another canvasser on each cut of "turf" every day and you commute with group of 6-8 canvassers to any given neighborhood. You can talk with your partner to stay motivated and to see what works with them. You are ...

Be ready to talk about how you have worked in a community service related field or maybe a service project you have done in the past to demonstrate that you care about change on the local level. Do some research on Clean Water Action's mission and previous victories and be able to link it to your...

Be ready to share your passion for your community and political factors that affect it. Political knowledge is not required as it is quickly learned. Shared views and ideas are necessary in how to better reach out about the campaign to locals, spread positive messages, and plan intriguing events.

Phone bank. Call tons of registered voters and first, ask if they plan on voting, if yes, dig deeper into which candidate they prefer and why, what can a candidate do better, what are they doing wrong, etc., if they answer no, also ask them why and try to connect to them, urging them to vote. Thi...

It is a fairly smooth and painless process. The number one thing to convey in the interview is your communication abilities. Make sure the interviewer knows that you are comfortable talking to anyone and everyone, and that you won't trip over your words when you only have a few minutes to try and...

Each day we had work we would meet our team leader at the campaign office. There we would receive a tablet with a program on it that allows us to see where our houses for that day are located, who lives in them, and gives demographics for each person on our list. We then go out, complete our list...

Interview questions are fairly standard but revolve around an individual's motivation surrounding educational policy as well as general passion for change in the current political climate. Make sure to read up on the current political climate, as canvassing and cold calling for SFERAN typically r...

Typically the day starts with a discussion and debrief of the successes of the previous day. Then canvassers get assigned into groups/teams of two to as many as ten people who drive out to their canvassing turf for the day. Depending on the weather and depending who is available to canvass for th...

I'd say operating in a business school environment in general prepared me well for this role as it desensitized me to having to present and speak with many different people. Marketing helped me realize the importance of a well structured sales "pitch" when speaking with members of the community a...

Canvassing is hard work. You have a quota that you have to reach in the first few days to stay on staff, and then a weekly quota from there for monthly membership signups. You may be doing street canvassing or door to door. Be ready to talk to interesting people, angry people, and apathetic peopl...

My first interview went well due to my resume being up to date and talking about my previous work experiences. I was also able to add that as a Marine Science major, I knew the importance of clean NJ waterways, which was the subject of canvassing that summer. Prepare by knowing what you will be c...

I started this position as a full time job in the summer, where some days were longer than others under the great summer heat. When I worked there, I had a quota to meet, thus, I had to work quickly and walk long distances knocking door to door in a new neighbored every day. You have an IPad that...

It prepared me well. Although, every summer the subject of canvassing may be different. The summer I worked there correlated well with the fact that I was learning about the NJ water ways and why they were so important to keep clean and protect. If people wanted to know more about me I was eager ...

I completely agree with the other response and would emphasize flexibility and problem solving. Often in that role you will face unexpected challenges and may not be in a place where you can ask for help so being able to find creative solutions is always great.The truly amazing organizers also al...

An average day can consist of door knocking and patrolling multiple high traffic areas (such as malls, shopping centers, live events) for voter registration and volunteer recruitment with your team or individually. Also, attending meetings/ events hosted by local organizations to network and recr...

In the morning, you have daily training with one of the managers(You'll learn the script, and tips and tricks to help convince people to help out the cause), and go through daily announcements. You get to know others in the group, and build amazing friendships that will last beyond the job itself...

Being a film major does come with a level of confidence and a personable attitude that makes people gravitate to you more. If you are a film major, I cannot recommend this job enough. It will help you learn more about people, and how they best respond if you want to be a director. Or it can help ...

The first thing I did for a position as a canvasser (Children International was my second position as a canvasser) was to get information about the project they were working for. Not all canvassers work for the same project, and I made sure to read a lot about it. For Children International, thei...

It is demanding, like any other position as a canvasser. You work long hours in the street for one of the most difficult jobs I think. Being a canvasser is difficult because people tend to avoid you in the street. The best advice I ever heard was "to be a Goldfish," which means to have a short me...

Be prepared to travel. For me what was required was a lot of walking, from door-to-door and house-to-house, asking questions and getting a sense and feel of real people and understanding what they want and believe about their lives, the lives of their families and neighbours, and what they think ...

Usually and especially during any campaign season canvassers are strongly needed. If you generally meet the minimum requirements usually including, but not limited to, possible past, or similar, experiences, working with metrics and exposure to database software, or the ability to learn it, and g...

Everyday we would show up to the office, do a short team meeting about goals for the week and the previous day's performance (how much money raised, how many petitions signed, how many conversations overall, etc.) once all the canvassers for that office got there, and then re-stock our bags with ...

The important thing is to be friendly. Canvassers need to be personable and motivated, so know why you want to work for them and know about their issues. They were started primarily after the passage of the Clean Water Act, so their main focus is on how energy production and pollution affect the ...

Typically you work from 2PM to 10PM in DC. You knock doors until about 8 or 9PM with another canvasser on each cut of "turf" every day and you commute with group of 6-8 canvassers to any given neighborhood. You can talk with your partner to stay motivated and to see what works with them. You are ...

Be ready to talk about how you have worked in a community service related field or maybe a service project you have done in the past to demonstrate that you care about change on the local level. Do some research on Clean Water Action's mission and previous victories and be able to link it to your...

Be prepared to show a situation in which you made a difference with a particular idea, concept or program you belonged to or worked for during your time at WMU. It can be as big as an internship in any of the departments to as little as simply spreading the news about your campus organization th...

They talk a lot about the process of the job works (schedule, compensation,etc.) Then they ask you basic questions about yourself (what you like to do, leadership experiences, job experience). My biggest advice to you as that you talk about experiences you had communicating with people and how yo...

You show up at 1:00 pm. Everyone (canvassers and directors) gather in a circle and discuss numbers for the week, groups assigned for the day, and general announcements. Then, Canvassers break into training (go over rap or script) for 20 minutes. After that, everyone breaks for lunch at the nice c...

My Environmental Studies major definitely prepared me for my job as a canvasser at VPIRG because I was able to use my background knowledge of environmental issues that are going on in the world as well as Vermont. It allowed me to clarify and further explain any issues that people may not have ha...

You'll have good and bad days. It depends on your attitude coming into work, as well as the people you interact with during work. So we would usually clock in, have a little introduction because we always had at least one new person to the team. We would then have a daily update on what Doctors W...

It really feels like a big family. Everyone is so kind and helpful, and you get to meet some of the most amazing people in this job, both in fellow employees, and in people you may canvass. It's also a truly fulfilling job for the vast majority of it. You get to help inform the world about the st...

My answer to this question is two pronged. First of all, make sure you're knowledgable and up to date on campaigns being run by the Human Rights Campaign and political and legislative activity surrounding the lgbtq+ community. Second, and, to be honest, more importantly, be prepared to share why ...

When I worked with the HRC, I would usually get up at 7:30 and take the metro from GW University dorms to our office in Eastern market. We'd have about thirty minutes of training before splitting up into groups and traveling to our canvassing locations for the day. We'd then canvass from about 10...

Both my American history and political philosophy majors were indispensable in my work with the HRC. However, I think my history major played an especially important role. Understanding the landscape of American history gave me the ability to be informative with people while canvassing in ways th...

-Show up to the office around 2:30pm. Have a meeting with the other canvassers and Field Manager for roughly an hour. Go over the numbers of the previous day, celebrate whomever did well, stretch, practice the "rap" (the speech we give to strangers), and warm up those friendly & smiley attitudes....

Prepare your public speaking skills! Be friendly, energetic, and make EYE CONTACT. Sociability is stressed at Clean Water Action, as they want their employees to be able to comfortably talk to strangers and convince those strangers of the importance/need of donating to the organization. The inter...

I managed groups of up to 6 people in the field for 5 hours a day. The "field" was multiple neighborhoods within an hour of the location of the office. I was responsible for training new employees, and making sure all my employees knew their responsibilities and to help them complete their tasks....

As a canvasser I believe it was $12 an hour, which is great for a sophomore in college. As a field manager I believe if was $15 an hour which is stellar. You work as many hours as you’d like. I usually did from 3-10pm after class.

I prepared for my interview by learning his stances on issues such as healthcare, agriculture, education, national security, etc. Once I believed my values lined up enough with his that I would feel morally right working for him, I decided to do further research into past legislation.I looked at ...

A day in the life as an intern for the Senator was rarely glamorous, but I found most of the work to be rewarding and interesting. Because Congress was in recess, the Senator would take county day trips and whenever he would come to Sussex County, I was able to spend the entire day with him, trav...

The Politics major at Oberlin can take you in many directions and in many cases (like other social science majors), limits you to classroom knowledge. Internships, volunteer work, and jobs make the Politics major a more well-rounded and complete experience. Because of their months-long lifespan...

There are 3 stages for this position's hiring process. First, you submit and application, Second, if you're chosen, you speak to a hiring manager, Lastly, if you pass that interview, you will be put into contact with and speak with the hiring supervisors from the departments your application was ...

Your daily function all depends on your department placement. I was stationed in the Medical Examiner's Office with the Infant Mortality Review Team. My core work focused on piecing together the life line of the decedent and coding that information into a database. My fellow intern and I were als...

Make sure you know exactly what his stance is on every major issue. You will have to take a writing test, which is basically writing a letter on the Senators behalf to a constituent. The topic of the letter will be something the typical constituent might ask (whether it be on gun control, educati...

There is no typical day, but tasks that I perform frequently include researching and drafting responses to legislative questions/comments from constituents, taking meetings with advocacy groups and other offices, attending briefings and hearings on topics within my portfolio, and helping to brain...

Familiarize yourself with Sen. Peters' legislative objections and positions. Make sure you can articulate why you agree with his legislative positions and be able to expound on why you're particularly interested in working for Sen. Peters. They will ask the classic "strengths and weaknesses" ques...

It's not glamorous, but it's incredibly valuable experience. You will mostly be responsible for organizing and cataloging constituent communications, including mail and voice mails. You will also be responsible for taking constituents on Capitol tours.

As a constituent aid, you are easing the workload of the Senator’s staff. The majority of the tasks you will encounter will be answering phone calls from constituents and relaying the information they give you to the Senator. Obviously, the Senator cannot be in the office at all times, so you’ll ...

It is entirely dependent on the office in which you work, and even then the days can vary greatly. A "typical" day for an intern consists of opening the office mail, answering phone calls, shuttling papers between offices and the Capitol, greeting guests and assisting the staffers in any way they...

Being a History major is all about understanding the greater context. It instills an appreciation for the larger story, and gives you the tools to efficiently and effectively communicate that story. Capitol Hill is seeped in tradition and precedent — understanding how things have always been done...

Make sure you clear the basic hurdles: dress the part (business in the senate building and capital is always business formal, suit and tie), rehearse your resume and relevant experience before going in, and be on time (leave some extra cushion to get lost, the buildings can be a bit confusing).Be...

My internship was out-of-the-ordinary, so I cannot pretend to speak for all interns at the State Senate. I was primarily focused on researching and creating a policy report for my Senator focusing on state renewable energy initiatives. My days consisted of reading and tracking relevant legislatio...

The most important thing is to be aware of the issues affecting the Member of Congress to whose office you are applying. This includes both issues specific to the Member's district, and issues related to the committees on which the Member sits. Be aware of any news the Member has made in the past...

Everday was pretty varied! I would start by doing things to get the office ready for the staff in the morning such as having the day’s newspapers ready at their desk, checking voicemails, answering urgent emails, etc. Throughout the rest of the day I would give tours of the US Capitol, attend bri...

Review some of the Congressman's recent bills, statements, positions, and background. Think realistically about what skills you can bring to the office. Have a solid answer for why you want to work for this Congressman.

As for any interview, you should know about your organization/Member/etc. So know Senator Sasse's positions, his committee assignments, and a bit of his background. Additionally, you should know how your experiences and skills can translate into the duties of a Senate intern (customer service, co...

It varies! Duties that we always have include: answering phones, reading emails, and sorting constituent mail. We also give tours of the U.S. Capital to Nebraska residents! Other tasks that I have gotten to do are: attend briefings for Legislative Assistants and Correspondents, writing memos/summ...

Make sure that you have an understanding of why you want to work in the office. Be able to explain what you hope to get out of the experience and why you think that this position will help you pursue you career of choice. I know it sounds generic, but they really are looking for people who are pa...

Know your answer to "why Blumenthal". There's 100 Senators you could intern for; why do you like Sen. Blumenthal? What issues do you think he's done good work on? What legislation has he worked on that you like? What committees is he on that you're interested in? If you have Connecticut ties, ta...

Political Science helped me understand how to look at some of the questions that Senator Brady asked with a broader range. I would find myself answering the question he gave me, but also looking at the broader question and statistics that could back up what he was asking of me. Political Science ...

When I was an intern for a Colorado State Senator, I did a lot of Bill Briefings in which I wrote summaries on bills coming through the senate then made recommendations to the Senator on how she should vote; however, I have a strong policy background, so I was qualified to do this.Many interns in...

If you are meeting with the Rep or one of their staffers I definitely suggest getting there early, wearing something professional (I wore a button up and a pencil skirt), and be yourself. I know it sounds stupid but it's true in this case. If you are passionate it will show through.To prepare bef...

There will be a lot of filing old documentation and preparing summarized legislative billing from Delaware websites.You will also extrapolate data from Delaware Business Magazines, and work on emails, e-magazines, and power point project design as needed.

While working in the social/cultural studies department you conduct research that helps communicate truths and fact checks common misconceptions related to pop culture. This relates to AEI’s mission, particularly with their desire for open debates and individual liberty/responsibility.

Again, all internship positions differ. In the social/cultural studies department, I would say taking initiative, being confident with working independently, and being enthusiastic are key for succeeding. As for AEI as a whole, it is important to believe in their mission and love learning.

It really depends who you are interviewing to work with. For Dr. Sommers, I would definitely have an interest in issues relevant to her (e.g., feminism, free speech, etc.). Another important piece was being able to work independently. As noted above, Dr. Sommers is not around, so being able to ta...

I loved my time interning at AEI. They did an amazing job in developing my networking, interviewing, and resume skills. They also provide several events for the summer interns to attend and bond over (e.g., baseball games, tour at The Pentagon, etc.). Most importantly, I felt I was doing meaningf...

If you can land a permanent position at AEI in fiscal policy, then you won't be in a bad place! You're not going to become rich at lower levels of any think tank job, but it's rewarding if your political interests align. I accepted the internship outside of my political affiliation because of the...

You either work with the research assistants of a fellow, directly with a fellow, or both on fiscal policy proposals and research. With an organization as prestigious as AEI, conducted research often gets the attention of high profile political figures in Washington DC. Sure, its best knowing tha...

Experience. Go out and expose your skills and yourself to people, jobs, and volunteer opportunities to gain needed experience for later. By doing this, you will not only have new things to add to your resume, but you also are building connections with people from you perspective field or just sim...

This is the Congressman's district office so you will mostly be dealing with constituent services, and you will speak with constituents every day. The Washington office primarily deals with policy issues - but there are definitely opportunities to collaborate with their staff and projects. There ...

Studying philosophy was a huge help as a Hilltern. I had training in asking good questions, pulling out important points from hearings and documents to include in memos and other documents I composed. I attribute these to my philosophical training because it comes from reviewing dense readings an...

I prepared for my interview by learning his stances on issues such as healthcare, agriculture, education, national security, etc. Once I believed my values lined up enough with his that I would feel morally right working for him, I decided to do further research into past legislation.I looked at ...

A day in the life as an intern for the Senator was rarely glamorous, but I found most of the work to be rewarding and interesting. Because Congress was in recess, the Senator would take county day trips and whenever he would come to Sussex County, I was able to spend the entire day with him, trav...

Checking mail and logging all of it, creating memorandums with bios for the Senator, researching data about different projects for the office, answering phone calls (there's a LOT of this- many people call about political opinions, but some need help with specific federal programs), and following...

Make sure to study about his history as an FBI agent and the committees he serves. Also, you should know that he succeeded his brother who served in the same district he serves in now. Also think of either some difficult obstacle in your life that you overcame or some time you demonstrated leader...

You come into an office full of friendly people that have a lot of knowledge so don’t be afraid to ask them questions. You usually ask the front desk person or the district officer (in charge of the district office’s activities under the Congressman). Usually, there will be some faxes to enter in...

It helped me significantly. It helped to know the branches of government and specifically how the legislative branch operated as well as learning about casework for constituents. For me at least, I had to write a short essay on the importance and function of the legislative branch, so it was easy...

Be sure you go into your interview with questions ready for the person interviewing you. Remember, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. Ask questions that will help you make sure you are a good fit for this position.

A day in the life would be going in and right away checking the IM account they give you and reading all the news articles that are based around the congressman so you can get a better understand of the current affairs and possible questions constituents may call and ask about. Throughout the day...

Patience. It may be overwhelming at first (especially if you’re the first intern to show up for the season) with the stacks of faxes and being the only intern to answer phones. With the help of two, three, or more interns, this is not an issue at all. Patience is also helpful for those less-than-...

I happened to know the woman interviewing me for the position before the interview, that helped a little. The best thing to do is stay calm during the interview and answer everything truthfully. During the interview be personable and show your interest in government and the issues that Congressma...

The main duty of the intern staff is to answer constituent phone calls and get them the services they need, this can be a difficult task. If you build strong relationships with the legislative aids they will likely give you light research assignments to help them with what they are currently work...

It is entirely dependent on the office in which you work, and even then the days can vary greatly. A "typical" day for an intern consists of opening the office mail, answering phone calls, shuttling papers between offices and the Capitol, greeting guests and assisting the staffers in any way they...

The legislative interns were responsible for a myriad of things but the key three were: inventorying mail, answering phones, and escorting guests. On top of those were other special assignments that varied week by week including drafting letters to constituents, attending congressional hearings, ...

It was an enormous help especially in drafting constituent letters where grammar, syntax, language, and rhetorical moves are of utmost importance. English disciplines have made me both a better communicator and a more sensitive person. I was able to explain things to curious or confused constants...

As the only JCL major, I provided a unique perspective to these discussions. It was very interesting to explore the different theories and applications of social justice within the workings of the government. When learning about the issues within foreign affairs, healthcare, education, and the en...

To be honest, just know exactly why you want this position, and be honest and straightforward about your experience and interest in the political industry.When I found this internship, I was attracted to it because it was in an industry that I didn't know a lot about, and it was in Washington, D....

Well, as any intern position, you are doing some of the undesirable work. So, you will be answering phones, sorting mail, delivering paperwork all around The Hill, etc. However, in the beginning, you tell the office your interests, and they match you to people who work in that "interest". I was e...

A great deal. Marketing can be described in many ways, and for me, it's how you market yourself in situations that make people trust you, or the brand/message you are behind. A big part of being an intern in Washington is networking. That's essentially like 80% of it in my eyes. You are constantl...

To prepare for this interview, be ready to discuss your own career goals and what you hope to accomplish through this internship. The intern coordinator is very personable and easy to speak with, so be comfortable and friendly. I would encourage you to ask your own questions about every day respo...

We rotated through different departments of the office which I loved. One day you would be preparing news clips and the next you would be assisting the Banking Committee clerks upstairs. There was a multitude of hearings we were able to attend, some of which being very contentious, historical hea...

Fun! You'll field a lot of phone calls from constituents, so you have to be comfortable on the phone. You'll also read constituent letters and respond to some of them, so having strong writing skills is a bonus as well. You will have the opportunity to accompany Congressman Welch/his staff to eve...

Definitely visit his website and/or ontheissues.org to check out his policy positions on different topics and be prepared to discuss which ones you support and why. Also talking about any writing/professional interpersonal experiences you have will be helpful because that's what a lot of the inte...

You need communication skills and patience. You will be answering phone calls and dealing with constituents the entire time. They simply want to feel respected and heard, but sometimes you get extremely angry constituents. You have to be able to maintain your composure and diffuse the situation.Y...

My major definitely helped me prepare for my job as a Congressional Intern at the United States House of Representatives because I understood what to expect in a government environment. Things do not always move as fast as you may want it to but when the people are engaged and demand change you w...

As an unpaid intern, I worked about 50 hrs/we. The staff never seemed to go home, and only one was married. It's all consuming, with most staying to network after work.That said, I choose to attend events afterwards because I enjoyed them. Those are the main perks of the internship. I'd suggest y...

You should be a good writer, speaker, and kind to people. You have to be patient on the phone with constituents, but overall the most important skill to have is empathy, which is sometimes frustratingly absent on the hill. Be empathetic and understanding of people who call the office and try to u...

I enjoyed the access it created to professionals throughout DC. I liked the fast pace and intensity.I disliked the lack of work-life balance and the feeling (at times) of spinning my gears. Sometimes your slammed and sometimes you're bored. I realized I would never want to work there full time, b...

It will depend on your role.For me, the common part to every day's job was to answer the phone, create cases for constituents within the district's database, and refer callers to the correct person within the office. The rest of the time I would have to create invitation lists on excel for events...

Each office selects interns using their own process. Most Congressional office have informal understandings with universities and/or fellowship orgs (CHCI, CHLI, etc) where they reserve some (but not necessarily all) spaces for their students. If you want this role, I'd first see if that's an opt...

Since I competed my internship during from August-December of 2016, during a very intense Presidental campaign I can only speak about the DNC in a period of high intensity campaign efforts. My role in the secretary’s office was to be in office support for the staff who we went on the campaign tr...

For me, the interview process consisted of a phone interview, as well as an in-person, get-to-know interview. I was asked questions regarding my experience in office settings, my future plans, academics, and interests in government. Do not let differences in political parties restrict you. For on...

Working as an intern, my responsibilities included looking over local newspapers/websites, as well as the Times Union Roundup for stories that pertained to the Assemblyman’s duties each morning. After that, I either continued my research projects on legislation or drafting letters/resolutions, or...

Working in William Barclay’s District Office was so rewarding! Growing up in Oswego County, he was my Assemblyman, but I was never interested or involved in politics: local, state, or federal. Being his intern has fostered my interest in the political environment, and while that is not a career p...

Be able to talk about what you’re passionate about and your strengths. Environment America really looks for people who are dedicated and care strongly about campaign topics. They are also looking for someone who has been active on campus and enthusiastic about outreach.

The Politics major at Oberlin can take you in many directions and in many cases (like other social science majors), limits you to classroom knowledge. Internships, volunteer work, and jobs make the Politics major a more well-rounded and complete experience. Because of their months-long lifespan...