Rep. Arnold: Get paid, earn college credit and immerse yourself in state government with a House internship

For current college students and recent graduates, there is a can’t-miss opportunity to participate in the legislative process at the Statehouse while gaining hands-on experience. The Indiana House of Representatives offers a unique internship program during the 2017 legislative session and the application process is now open.

The internship is open to college sophomores and up, recent graduates and graduate students. This paid program during the spring semester provides interns opportunities to immerse themselves in Indiana’s legislative process by working directly with state representatives. Interns receive a bi-weekly compensation of $700 and opportunities to earn college credits. I recommend this to those who would like to gain professional experience, as well as learn more about state government, politics and the legislative process.

As a state representative, I work directly with two year-round staff members at the Statehouse – a legislative assistant and a press secretary. Both of these employees are former House interns who were subsequently hired as full-time staff. This internship not only develops a working knowledge of state government, but it also opens doors and offers networking opportunities. Our former interns have launched careers not only in government, but the business and non-profit sectors.

I highly encourage you to apply to be an intern in one of five departments:

• Legislative: Interns will be paired with a full-time legislative assistant as they work directly with an assigned group of state representatives. Some of the responsibilities include: tracking legislation, working with constituents and researching legislative questions or problems.
• Communications: Interns will be paired with a full-time press secretary as they assist with media relations for an assigned group of state representatives. Some of the responsibilities include: writing press releases, audio and video production, social media, arranging interviews with reporters, photography and covering press conferences. 
• Technology: Interns will help provide technical support to the caucus for laptops and tablets, and assist with the livestreaming of official house business online.
• Fiscal: Intern will work with the fiscal staff on issues that directly relate to the state’s finances and biennial budget.
• Policy: Intern will work alongside the policy staff in tracking and analyzing legislation.

To learn more about internship opportunities and the application process, visit www.indianahouserepublicans.com/2017-house-republican-internship-program/. The application deadline is Oct. 31. No previous political or government experience is required. The internship is a full-time commitment, five days a week at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. The duration of the program is as long as the 2017 session, which runs from January through April. I encourage anyone who meets the requirements and has a strong interest in government to consider applying for this rewarding internship.

As we continue to lead Indiana forward, please contact me with questions or input at 317-232-9793 or by email at h74@iga.in.gov. Learn more about the work being done at the Statehouse by signing up to receive my email updates at www.in.gov/h74.

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State Rep. Lloyd Arnold (R-Leavenworth) represents portions of Spencer, Dubois, Perry, Crawford and Orange counties.

A high-resolution photo of Arnold can be downloaded by clicking here.