Politics often cause bitter divides, but interns on Capitol Hill say they enjoy a camaraderie that crosses party and school lines.
“In the Senate there are (interns) from every different school in Utah, and I feel like I’m pretty close to all of them,” said Taylor Howe, a junior in political science interning for Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights.
Interns often eat lunch together in the Capitol Hill cafeteria and resist dividing up into cliques corresponding to universities or political affiliation, Howe said.
“We interact pretty frequently,” said Greg Homer, a recent U alumnus interning for Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley City. “I would say we have more interaction with the other interns than we actually do with the legislators themselves.”
Typical duties for interns include answering constituent e-mails, preparing agendas, monitoring bills, scheduling appointments and running various errands.
The regular, day-to-day duties of an intern aren’t that exciting, Homer said.
Still, most interns express an excitement about assisting in the lawmaking process. Most said their experiences so far have caused them to have a less cynical, more positive view of politics.
“I’m surprised how much time each legislator puts into this job,” said Jonathan Brown, junior in political science and intern for Rep. Greg Curtis, R-Sandy.
Amy Code, a senior in political science interning for Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, said she was amazed at how much time legislators spend on their jobs during the session and throughout the year.
“I don’t know how some people do it,” she said.
Homer said the process is more friendly and cooperative than he had thought it was.
U students become interns at the Legislature by applying through the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Students of all majors are eligible to apply and no background in political science is required.
“We’re looking for motivated, organized students who want to get involved in the process,” said Courtney McBeth, intern manager for the Institute.
Once accepted into the program, students are required to take Political Science 3900, a class in legislative intern preparation. The class teaches students how the lawmaking process functions and what is expected of interns.
Howe said he would have been lost without that preparation.
Code said that the class helped only to an extent. “I felt I learned a lot in the class, but you feel like you have no idea what’s going to happen until you’re actually up here,” Code said.
After the fall class, interning begins in January with the opening of the legislative session.
For more information on the U’s state legislative internship program, visit www.hinckley.utah.edu or contact Courtney McBeth at 581-8501.