United States Congressional Internship: In the office of Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr. [D-GA]

By Haley Bernstein, Justice and Legal Thought

I had an incredible experience in which I was able to explore my passions for social justice and public policy while also gaining incredible analytical and critical thinking skills that will help me prepare for future internships.

This poster describes the internship that I had on Capitol Hill while working in the office of Congressman Bishop Jr. [D-GA-2]. Overall, I had an incredible experience in which I was able to explore my passions for social justice and public policy while also gaining incredible analytical and critical thinking skills that will help me prepare for future internships. Many of my responsibilities included answering all phone calls from constituents, attending hearings and briefings for the Congressman, drafting memos and responses to constituent letters and compiling daily press clips to inform the Congressman and staff of local, national and international news. I really got a great picture of what working in a congressional office is like and the hands-on experiences I received are incomparable to any learning that I have ever had in the classroom regarding federal government and public policy.

Through my internship, I gained a better understanding of the social injustices facing our nation and how legislation and policy can be used to enact change.

I was also able to draw a lot of parallels between my internship and the Justice and Legal Thought program, which was another really interesting aspect about working in Congress. Through my internship, I gained a better understanding of the social injustices facing our nation and how legislation and policy can be used to enact change. Additionally, through this experience in the U.S. Congress, I acquired a different perspective on justice through the lens of working with a congressman that identifies with one political party and represents a state of the opposing political party.

The hands-on experiences I received are incomparable to any learning that I have ever had in the classroom regarding federal government and public policy.

I would highly recommend this internship to anyone interested in law and policy because it is a great way to make networking connections in government and learn more about how legislation is created and passed to help people.