This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern in the U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy’s District Office in Baton Rouge. I gained hands-on experience helping Louisiana’s constituents and saw firsthand how federal public policy trickles down to affect businesses, communities, families, and individuals in the state. It was an invaluable experience that opened my eyes to the true meaning of public policy–not for news coverage on Capitol Hill but instead to impact the constituents who rely most on those in public office.
Throughout my internship, I had the opportunity to interact directly with constituents. In one aspect of my internship, I spent many hours on the phone listening to and documenting the opinions of Senator Cassidy’s constituents. Through this, I learned to quickly adapt to the varying opinions and recommendations of constituents while staying well-informed about the political environment in Louisiana and related legislation being passed in D.C. I became so interested in the news sources and podcasts that filled my free time, and the perspectives of staff members within the office, and I was definitely the most politically informed I have ever been.
Another crucial part of my internship was supporting staff members with their constituent cases. Congressional district offices are staffed with experts on federal agencies that their constituents may need assistance navigating. These vary from HUD to the IRS to the Social Security Administration. In my role as an intermediary between constituents and staff, I learned to communicate the problems constituents faced and, sometimes, analyze how Senator Cassidy’s staff could address them. Not only did I gain in-depth knowledge of the nature and functions of many federal agencies, but I also witnessed the invaluable work that federal staff were doing to assist their constituents in benefiting the most from the services of these agencies.
My point in documenting my experience for you all is to encourage everyone interested in working in government or in some offshoot of public policy to consider securing an internship in your state. Often, we place so much emphasis on gaining federal experience in D.C. that we overlook the real opportunity to improve the constituents of our states directly. It is an opportunity to broaden your perspective on the problems plaguing your community and to support experienced district staffers in addressing constituents’ concerns. So, gain experience in your state legislature, intern for the governor’s office or the DA, or do as I did, find a U.S. member of Congress in your state and apply for an experience of political development.
Written by:
Ella Chapman
B.A. Political Science, B.A. Economics, French Minor
