Wesleyan Summer Spotlights: Law, Government, & Public Policy – Interning on the Hill

[Introductions] Host: Welcome everyone who's joined us this evening. This event is part of Wesleyan Summer Spotlights, a series of short panels sharing what students did over the summer and what they learned along the way. Today we're joined by five Wesleyan students with incredible summer experiences. Please use the Q&A at the bottom of your screen to ask questions anytime. This session is being recorded. Tiana: Hi everyone, I'm Tiana, Class of 2027, a junior majoring in Government and minoring in East Asian Studies. Last summer I interned in D.C. in the House of Representatives for Congresswoman King Hines. I drafted memos and formal correspondence — including letters to the Government Accountability Office and other agencies — to support policy efforts, and did policy and constituent work focused on issues affecting the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory I'm from. Judy: Hi everyone, I'm Judy, a senior double majoring in CSS and French. I interned on the Hill with Tiana, in Congressman Ted Lieu's office. He's Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus. I did similar work: constituent calls, legislative memos, and capital tours. Gray: Hi everyone, I'm Gray. This summer I was a summer fellow through the Fund for American Studies, studying economics and public policy. I took classes at George Mason University and attended a great lecture series. On top of that, I was a business analyst intern at OpenGovHub, an anti-corruption nonprofit in D.C., where I worked on CRM automation, lead tracking, and networking with other nonprofits. Barron: Hi everyone, I'm Barron, a senior majoring in English and East Asian Studies with a minor in Civic Engagement. This past summer I interned at the U.S. Department of Commerce in their Office of China and Mongolia, researching U.S.-China trade policy for the federal government. Montana: Hi everyone, I'm Montana, Class of 2027, a junior. This past summer I was a legislative intern for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro — the Congresswoman for Connecticut's 3rd District, right where Wesleyan is located. We worked on progressive reform efforts across a wide range of issues, attended House Appropriations Committee markups, and worked directly with constituents. [Describing the Summer Experiences] Host: Can you briefly describe your experience in more detail — your specific roles, projects, and anything that surprised you? Judy: As a legislative intern in Congressman Lieu's office, the biggest chunk of my time was constituent work — taking calls from people who wanted to share opinions on policy or raise concerns with the congressman. I also attended briefings and hearings, took notes, and drafted summaries for staffers. I gave Capitol tours, and did legislative memo writing. What surprised me most was how much my work actually mattered. When I recommended a bill and, weeks later, saw the congressman listed as a co-sponsor — that was real impact. Barron: I'm actually still doing my internship — they offered the option to extend into fall, and with the government shutdown I extended even further, so that's seven months total with the Department of Commerce. It was an extraordinary time to work on U.S.-China relations: tariffs fluctuating dramatically, DOGE layoffs, and the longest government shutdown in history. During the shutdown, we couldn't even log into email for 40 days. The biggest skill I developed was conciseness — in government, you have very little time to convey a lot of information. Montana: Congressman DeLauro's office had a lot of hands-on constituent work — more than I expected. Talking directly with constituents and working to find answers to their specific problems was the most fulfilling part. I also unexpectedly took over press intern duties for a couple weeks. Learning to make a point in 280 characters on Twitter, or to hook someone in the first line of an Instagram reel, was something I had to learn completely on the job. Gray: My experience was a bit different — I was on the external side of the bureaucracy. The Fund for American Studies provided housing and matched me with my internship at OpenGovHub. I'll be honest: I walked in skeptical about nonprofits. I ended up having one of the best work experiences of my life. I focused on their business analyst work — building out their sales pipeline, CRM automation, and networking with other nonprofits in D.C. Tiana: Working for Congresswoman King Hines's office, I worked on issues directly affecting where I'm from — including a letter about travel inequity and the cost of flights from Saipan, which is over 8,000 miles and 24-plus hours away. Because I was personally affected by that issue, I brought genuine passion to it. One thing I didn't expect: how many events there were in D.C. and how much connecting happens just by showing up. [How Wesleyan Prepared Them] Host: How has your Wesleyan experience prepared you for the opportunity — through coursework, professors, clubs, or conversations with peers? Barron: The Wesleyan network in D.C. is genuinely impressive. I attended a Gordon Career Center info session at 5am while studying abroad in China — it was with a State Department alum — and he told me that being there in person, doing the work on the ground, is exactly what prepares you for D.C. I've taken Chinese throughout Wesleyan and led a student forum on U.S.-China relations through the Patricelli Center. When your true interests come through in an application, they're visible. Professor Haddad in the Government department was also an invaluable resource — she gave me ten people and organizations to reach out to. Montana: My government coursework was directly applicable — a congressional policymaking course, an Advanced Human Rights Advocacy seminar, and an environmental studies course on food justice. But what prepared me most was my extracurricular involvement — particularly in performing arts and music. Community building, collaboration, organization, and clear communication to a broad audience are exactly what you need in a congressional office. Follow all your interests; they will matter in unexpected ways. Gray: I found a lot of my opportunities through Handshake. The Wesleyan-affiliated jobs section is a genuinely good resource for government and nonprofit internships. Working on campus first also prepared me — the foundational skills of being detail-oriented, organized, and showing up reliably for pay translate directly to entering any professional environment. Tiana: I found my internship by following the news from home, seeing that Congresswoman King Hines had just won her seat, finding her on LinkedIn, congratulating her, and eventually asking if she had any internship opportunities. The lesson is: reach out, even if it feels bold. Before that, I took Intro to International Relations with Professor Hanson — one of my favorite classes — and it opened my genuine curiosity about power, justice, and how the world works. The Writing Center and Career Center also sharpened my ability to communicate who I am on paper. Judy: Two things. First: use the Gordon Career Center. I started with the Senator Murphy district internship — a Wesleyan-affiliated program, meaning your odds are better than average — which gave me my first experience working with constituents. That made it much easier to apply to Hill internships with credibility. Second: Wesleyan's liberal arts education builds your ability to articulate. Being able to speak clearly and concisely is the single most important skill for working on the Hill. [Advice and Future Plans] Host: Any advice you'd like to share — about the search, housing, or what's next for you? Montana: Housing in D.C. is a nightmare, I'll say that upfront. I got the summer grant — about $5K — and all of it went to housing. I found out about my acceptance in April, which was already late; most dorms near the Capitol were full. The lesson: be proactive about housing as early as possible, even before your internship is confirmed. Look at the summer grant and the Political Action Fund — there are multiple funding sources at Wesleyan. Montana: Future-wise: this summer confirmed I want to go back to D.C. and pursue more hands-on work — directly with the people affected by the issues I care about. I'm moving toward grassroots organizing and community work rather than formal bureaucracy. Gray: I networked aggressively this summer, and the Wesleyan alumni network in D.C. is remarkably welcoming. The key is never going in transactionally — I've never networked thinking I'm going to land a job today. I've always gone in curious about people's work and left with a recommendation to look at something else. That's how I think I already found my internship for next summer. Tiana: What's next for me: I'm applying for internships, likely going to start studying for the LSAT, and figuring out whether law school is the right path. D.C. taught me that I care deeply about where I'm from and that I want to do work that supports people and builds community. Judy: I'll most likely return to the Hill because that world is connection-based. I've also joined the Asian American Caucus emailing list, which gives first-access to job openings and pre-flags candidates. For anyone trying to break in for the first time: start with a district office internship. Find an obscure congressperson and intern in their district office, then transfer to their D.C. office. That is the clearest path to working on the Hill. Barron: I'm still applying — I applied to something today, actually. The advice I'd give: cast a wide net, keep applying, and build out a cover letter you can adapt. Don't get discouraged. If you're sincerely interested in something and have even a loose connection to someone who works there, your odds are real. The Wesleyan open curriculum, communication skills, and network are things people in D.C. genuinely value — you'll feel that the moment you step outside campus.