Junior Zoe Patrick, a political science and marketing major with a legal studies minor and pre-law focus, spent her summer completing a congressional internship in Washington, D.C. Read about her experience in her own words below.
Like many students, I went through the tough major-changing process my freshman year when I discovered that my passions were in another field. Coming from a small, private school to a progressive, public university taught me so much about activism, involvement and community. It was in my dorm room at 3:46 AM that I realized I wanted to pursue a career in political lobbying where I can enact change that benefits society. My new career path gave me the motivation to begin researching every detail of our government, how it works and how I can get involved as a student. During my hours of scrolling and researching, I happened upon a blog post written by a college student who spent their summer working in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I knew that I had to have that internship.
The application process was terrifying for me because nothing is more intimidating than addressing a cover letter to a congressman’s office. Most applications for congressional internships ask about your involvement on campus and policy interests so being involved with many on-campus organizations made it easy for me to talk about everything I am passionate about. I still remember March 9th as one of the most exciting days of my life because I received an invitation from Congressman David Kustoff’s office, inviting me to interview for his intern position. I had the opportunity to meet with a member of Congressman Kustoff’s staff and he asked me general questions about my political aspirations and my 10-year plan. I always say that the key to a great interview is being honest and showing your interviewer exactly what you are passionate about. Soon after, the coronavirus pandemic put life on hold for many people. I was scared for my health, the safety of my friends and family, and that I would not be able to experience my dream internship in the summer of 2020.
Zoe with Congressman David Kustoff, a Republican representing Tennessee’s 8th congressional district
I went back home to Memphis and tried to adjust to life as a fully-online student. About a month into quarantine, I received a call from a Washington D.C. number and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. One of the congressman’s staff members informed me that I had been accepted to the Congressional Intern Program and that I would be moving to D.C. at the beginning of May. I was so honored to receive that phone call and I was overjoyed that, despite the global pandemic, I was still getting the opportunity to join the team. The dates of my internship were pushed back a few times but on June 29th my family and I hopped in our car and started the 13-hour drive to the nation’s capital.
My first day in the office was much like the first day of starting any new job. We covered the basic rules, how to operate the phones, and we were given a tour of the office, which just happened to be the Cannon House Office Building, where some of the most important legislative decisions in history have been made. The primary duty of congressional interns is to give tours of the Capitol building to constituents who come to visit their representative but the coronavirus prevented this from happening. Instead, I got the opportunity to work closely with other members of the staff and assisted with writing press releases, op-eds, and even cosponsor memos! It was a unique experience because interns do not typically get as much facetime with the congressman and the staff as I did. I learned more than I could have ever imagined by sitting in on interviews, phone calls, and even watching votes on the House floor.
Zoe with her fellow Congressional interns
Outside of the office, my fellow interns and I spent our free time exploring Washington, D.C. every chance we could. Bike rides down the National Mall, subway trips to the Arlington Cemetery, people watching at the Jefferson Memorial, and treating ourselves to all of the best food the city had to offer were just a handful of memories we made during our journey to Capitol Hill.
I highly encourage any student who is interested in pursuing a career in public policy, government affairs or activism to take a moment and research your local representative or senators and consider applying for a congressional internship. This unique experience was so impactful on my life and my career path and I would love to see more students get the opportunity to try it out!