Thursday, September 25, 2008

Spring Internships with Sen Patty Murray

Description:
The internship program in Senator Murray’s office is very structured. We have regular meetings and trainings and encourage our interns to explore their interests and talents as the internship goes on. Certainly a part of their job is administrative work—i.e., helping with front office tasks, recording constituent opinions, etc., however we make it a point to ensure that this is not how they spend a majority of their time. We place a high value on constituent services and so primary responsibilities will include answering phones, writing constituent response letters (including the use of the Congressional Research Service and other research outlets) and leading tours of the U.S. Capitol Building. In addition, our interns will assist staff in all areas by attending briefings, writing memos and doing research. We also encourage our interns to further their own legislative interests by attending briefings and trainings which interest them. Our internship program will also include opportunities to meet with staff to build relationships and gain perspective on jobs in politics.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray is looking for interns who want to learn more about the federal government and want to be part of a hardworking team dedicated to serving the citizens of Washington state.

Qualifications
Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate college students who have completed at least one year of college and whose permanent residence is the state of Washington or are attending a Washington state college or university.

Program Outline
Internship sessions are generally scheduled on the academic quarter: fall, winter, spring, summer. Internships are unpaid and are available for school credit if approved by your college or university. D.C. interns typically work full time (40 hours per week), however part-time schedules can be accommodated. All state internships are part-time. Senator Murray’s D.C. office offers legislative and press internships. Outreach and constituent casework internships are available in the state offices.

Job Description
Interns work in all areas of the office. Responsibilities include: research, written and verbal communication with constituents and federal agencies, assisting at press conferences, attending briefings, and performing a variety of administrative tasks including fielding calls from constituents and greeting visitors.

D.C. internships:
Office of Senator Patty Murray
Attn: Ms. Amaia Kirtland
173 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2621
dcinternship@murray.senate.gov

Washington state internships:
Office of Senator Patty Murray
Attn: Ms. BethAnn Hoover
2988 Jackson Federal Building
Seattle, WA 98174-1003
(206) 553-5545
interncoordinator@murray.senate.gov

Information and Application: http://murray.senate.gov/internship