Auburn on the Hill is a federal government internship through Auburn University that allows students interested in government or politics to get real-world experience working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The program is open to all majors and has internship positions in numerous departments on Capitol Hill. The internship offers positions in the White House, Capitol Hill and other offices in Washington, D.C. where interns are tasked with numerous things such as research, answering phone calls and giving tours of the Capitol.
“One of the biggest things I did was taking phone calls from constituents. So if they had a complaint they would call us and if they had any thoughts on different bills or policies, we’d write it down and then put it into this database and file them away,” said Lindsey Bailey, senior in law and justice.
Auburn University also has many activities and meet and greets for interns to interact with employees on Capitol Hill as well as Auburn alumni.
“It’s a good way to get to know the office and you get to know the people and then establish the relationship that can lead to a job,” said Andrew Newton, director of federal relations for Auburn University.
One of the main activities for the summer is the rooftop networking reception. The reception is hosted by Auburn University's President Christopher Roberts and offers interns a chance to interact and connect with alumni. Interns can talk to alumni who work in D.C. and discuss their jobs and experiences while working on Capitol Hill. Getting advice from people who went through the same process allows interns to get an idea of what to expect in the real world.
Preparation is an important part of the internship to know what to expect and how to succeed. While the internships are in Washington, D.C., not everyone that interned was focused on politics as there are positions for communications and marketing interns so having a wide variety of skills and being prepared for any position opens up the door to many possibilities.
“Anyone can apply. You don’t even need to be a law student … I would just say focus on organization, good writing, and a structured resume,” Bailey said.
Auburn University prepares students for the internship by hosting panels and one-on-one meetings for applicants to learn more about the positions. Interested students are encouraged to attend and reach out with any questions.
“The College of Liberal Arts does a great job bringing some congressional staff down to speak to students about what the opportunities look like,” Newton said.
By having information sessions and panels as a resource for applicants, it gives them a better idea on what to expect and how to prepare.
Networking is something that interns are involved in and given many opportunities to take advantage of by getting to know people.
“Networking is a big part of the government relations career. So a lot of these are more life skills than things you would learn in the classroom,” said Christian Staats, Director of Government Relations.
With numerous opportunities to network throughout the internship, students learn the importance of networking and connections when working in a place like Washinton, DC.
As for many careers, hands-on experience can often be the best way to learn and with this internship, students are given just that. From things like taking phone calls and drafting speeches, to conducting tours and attending court hearings, students are immersed into the world of government and politics.
“Just speaking from a state government relations perspective, the best educational experience this provides is learning how the office works and how it’s not just what you’re going to learn from a book, right, how you’re going to interact with agencies and how you’re going to make sure that the request from the congressman gets done, Staats said.
Every intern has a unique experience and will be tasked with different things. By getting to be involved in multiple parts of the government, they can learn many things, while also finding their true passion.
“Just being in the environment, the atmosphere up there, like you were truly learning something every single day. And I realized that I did have a really strong interest and policy and politics,” Bailey said.
Auburn University offers more information and tips for applying to the internship on their website. Students are encouraged to take initiative and reach out to employers and staff to help them succeed and prepare for the internship.
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