CALLING ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS, RECENT GRADS – STRAIGHT FROM THE SENATE

Are you or is someone you know a college student in need of an internship? The Indiana State Senate is looking for passionate, hard-working students to share their talents during the 2014 session of the Indiana General Assembly.
The Senate Republican Caucus offers paid, spring-semester internships to college undergraduates, graduate students and recent college graduates. Interns work directly with Indiana legislators at the Statehouse, located in downtown Indianapolis.

This is not your typical internship making coffee, copies and filing. Because Indiana is a part-time legislature, the workload of our staff increases exponentially during session. Senate interns are absolutely vital players in the legislative process, taking on the same responsibilities as our staff. Because of their important role, these internships are a full-time, Monday through Friday commitment.

Senate internships are broken down by interest area:  legislative, communications and information technology (IT). Legislative interns work directly for one to two state senators, analyze bills, assist constituents and staff Senate committees. Communications interns work with Senate press secretaries to coordinate media strategies, which include writing press releases, utilizing social media and working with members of the press. IT interns implement Senate technologies, such as the General Assembly live-stream, and respond to hardware and software needs.

These internships are a unique opportunity to gain practical knowledge of state government while honing a specific career interest. The benefits of this experience are endless.

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According to data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 60 percent of interns land a full-time position as a result. My bet is Indiana Statehouse interns secure a job at an even higher rate.

From January through March, Indiana’s Statehouse is one of the most lively, eventful places in the state. Folks from all types of industries, trades and fields of expertise converge on the capitol during session – state policies affect everyone in some capacity or another. This makes the Statehouse a top networking site for current or future job seekers. Interns will have contact with representatives from the business, education, science and legal communities. These relationships can make the difference when job searching in this competitive economy.

Additionally, the Senate is so reliant on and grateful for its interns that we often hire from within the intern pool when full-time positions become available. Because our interns receive such a top-notch, real-world internship experience, we know they are more than qualified for full-time employment. We want to keep their talents at the Statehouse, or make sure their skills are utilized by another organization in their field of interest.

Finally, the portfolio and tangible skills our interns gain cannot be beat. Each intern, regardless of their focus area, will come away with a strong resume of legislative expertise, research and interpersonal skills, as well as the confidence of working in a fast-paced, professional environment.

Moreover, we hope the internship inspires the next generation of passionate, civic-minded leaders. For those with an interest in politics, government or the world around them, there’s no better experience than a Senate internship.

To learn more or apply for the program, visit in.gov/senateinternship. The deadline for applicants is October 30.