My Washington, Mankato, and Rochester offices accept applications year-round from students and recent graduates who are interested in learning about how Congress functions.  Interns in each office gain first-hand insight about the legislative process and how a member of Congress provides constituent services and interacts with the community. 

Interns in all three offices share administrative responsibilities including answering phones, sorting mail, and greeting constituents who visit the offices.  Interns in the Washington, D.C. office partner closely with the legislative, correspondence, and communications staff to perform legislative research, respond to constituent mail, and give tours of the U.S. Capitol to visiting constituents.  Interns in the Mankato and Rochester offices work closely with the constituent outreach and casework staff to plan and execute events for the Congressman and to assist individual constituents with problems they are experiencing with federal agencies.

We welcome interns from all academic fields and at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Although many of our students study political science and public policy, students with backgrounds in business, journalism, economics, law enforcement, environmental studies, and any number of other fields find that their congressional internships prove extremely valuable.  Some interns arrange to receive academic credit from their colleges and universities, while others simply wish to take advantage of the educational and professional opportunity without receiving credit. 

All internships are unpaid, and candidates who are chosen for the Washington, D.C. office will be responsible for making their own travel and living arrangements.  Interns may also be eligible for various scholarships and fellowships, and details about one such award, the Penny Fellowship Scholarship Program, can be found here.

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and a brief (1-3 page) writing sample along with this application.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Intern Coordinator at (507) 388-2149 for district internships and (202) 225-2472 for Washington internships.