Interns working with the Senate Democratic Caucus are assigned to assist legislators and staff, to expand their knowledge of the Indiana General Assembly and the legislative process. Senate interns work full-time assisting staff in various departments. Based on individual qualifications, interns will be placed in the communications office, member services division, policy analysis, attorney’s office, or with tax and fiscal policy staff. Each intern’s responsibilities will depend on the legislators and staff with whom he or she is assigned.
The Indiana Senate was named the 2014 Employer of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Indiana INTERNnet program.
Internship Applications
The Senate Democratic Caucus offers spring-semester internships to college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students as well as recent college graduates.
Applicants must be:
Residents of Indiana, in school or graduated, or currently enrolled in higher-education institutions in or out of state; OR
Out-of-state residents attending an Indiana college or university.
Appointments for interviews are made on a competitive basis, with attention given to the intern’s online application, academic record, work-related experience, and other skills that individuals may bring to the Indiana Senate.
No specific major is required, but a successful candidate must want to learn about government and politics in a real-world setting.
Application Process
All positions are filled by applying to the program in one email to the Intern Director. Interns are assigned to positions that best match their skill-set, background, formal training, and overall qualifications for the program. Positions are detailed below. Application submission requirements are listed here. Submit your application only when you have all required materials. Other options for submission are available and can be obtained by contacting the Intern Director.
Applications for the internship are due by December 20.
Additional Required Application items:
- Résumé (that includes community service, volunteer efforts, and/or participation);
- A copy of your college or university transcript, official copies are preferred, but not required;
- Two recent academic writing samples;
- A minimum of two letters of recommendation from employers, school faculty members, or upstanding members of the community; and
- Complete the online web form.
STIPEND, ACADEMIC CREDIT AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Interns receive a pre-tax stipend of $900 bi-weekly. Most, if not all interns, currently enrolled in school can receive academic credit for their participation in the internship. Academic credit depends on individual schools and departments. The total amount of academic credit is to be arranged between individual interns and their institution.
At the end of each legislative session, Verizon Communications offers a $3,000 scholarship to the top intern from each of the four caucuses. Additionally, the Senate Democrats award the $1,000 Rick Gudal Scholarship to the caucus intern who best exemplifies the public service legacy and love of education of former Senate Democratic staffer Rick Gudal.
Senate Internship Breakdown
Interns Assigned to the Member Services Division are typically paired with one or two legislators and a full-time staff person.
Other specialized intern assignments include working directly with the attorney, the policy director, and the fiscal analyst for the caucus. These interns are also assigned to work with legislators as well as other members of the caucus staff.
Communications Interns
The caucus employs a communications staff, which acts as an in-house public relations office for our members. Communications’ interns work directly with the caucus’ communications staff, members of the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus, and reporters associated with the Statehouse Press Corps. Interns have the opportunity to build their portfolio, gain valuable professional experience, and network with decision-makers and professionals from the statewide media industry.
Being given responsibility for important work was the highlight of the internship.
The internship was a professional opportunity that I took full advantage of.
This internship gives an in-depth, hands-on experience of the state’s legislative process.
Working at the Statehouse allowed me to learn new professional skills and meet new people.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Most, if not all interns attending school are eligible for credit, while participating in the Senate’s internship program. Academic credit is awarded by individual institutions of higher education. It is up to each intern to work with their academic department, school, or college to determine the number of credits to be awarded, as well as requirements to obtaining the academic credit.
Interviews will take place at the Statehouse beginning in mid-October and will conclude in early November. Applicants should know if they have been accepted into the program by the second week of November.
The academic writing sample should demonstrate your ability to write, research, and articulate your thoughts on a given topic. This can be a memo you’ve done for a job, an academic research paper, or an essay for a class.
If an applicant has applied for an internship in the past, and was not selected, they may apply for the internship again. This applicant will need to resubmit all required materials.
The number of interns hired by the caucus varies each year. In 2019, there were 13 internship opportunities with the Indiana Senate Democrats.
The essay is comparable to a resume cover letter. This allows you to expand upon your interest in the internship opportunity, to expand upon your skills, as well as to set your application apart from other applicants.
Yes. It is encouraged that applicants apply for internships in both the House and the Senate. However, applicants may only apply for internships with one political party.
The Indiana State Senate internship is a full-time, paid position at the Indiana Statehouse during the spring semester. The program begins with a mandatory orientation in late December and concludes at the end of the legislative session, either in March(short session) or April(long session). Interns are typically kept a week after the session adjourns.
No. Housing for interns is not provided to those selected to participate in the program. However, attempts are made to assist participants in finding a roommate(s) for the duration of their internship. The intern director will also provide a list of short-term housing options that former interns have used in the past.
In an effort to reduce the financial burden on applicants, official transcripts are not required to complete an application.
The deadline to apply for the Senate Democratic Caucus’ internship is October 31
There is no need to submit all required items at one time. However, all required materials must be submitted by the October 31 deadline.
Please have your recommender send you their letters so you can submit your packet in one email.
Also, you must provide said recommender information (Phone and Email) for follow-up and validation.
Items may be submitted to the email address below:
Adam Jones Senate Democratic Intern Director 200 West Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204-2785No. The Indiana General Assembly is a part-time legislature, and interns are hired during the legislative session only.
No specific major is required, but a successful candidate must enthusiastically want to learn about government and politics in the real world.
Yes, as long as the applicant is a resident of Indiana.
The Senate Democratic Caucus’ internship program is open to any residents of Indiana, attending an institution of higher education as a sophomore, junior, senior, pursuing a post-graduate degree, or a recent graduate.
Contact
For more information, contact our Intern Director.
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