Government & Law

Relevant CEC Resources:

• Resume Guide, Cover Letter Guide, Marketing Your Human Ecology Education, Interview Tips and Practice Questions, Proper Etiquette for Letters of Recommendation, Networking Guide 
• Community Engaged Resources
• Pathways in Law Career Guide

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General Information about Capitol Hill Internships

• Press internship vs. legislative internship
  • Many offices offer both kinds of internships, with press internships focusing on media and legislative focusing on policy memos
  • Keep an eye out for both positions (both are great opportunities)
• For senators & representatives, preference is given to students originally from, attending to school, or spending significant time in the member’s state
  • All Cornell students should apply to NY Senators and Representatives (regardless of their home state!)
• Work your network! “Hillternships” can be extremely competitive, so it is great to get your resume flagged if possible. Check out CUeLinks and LinkedIn for Cornell alumni. It is also a great idea to ask your professors and social network if they can connect you with anyone in government.

Senate Internships/Jobs

The Senate Employment Bulletin is published as a service to Senate offices choosing to advertise internship and job opportunities. The bulletin is revised in real time during business hours. For live updates, follow the Senate Employment Office on Twitter @Senate_Jobs.

The internship and job opportunities published here do not include all potential Senate internships. Each Senate office manages their intern program, and information can typically be found on their individual websites.

To apply for internship/job opportunities, please follow the application instructions at the end of each advertisement. Indicate the job referral number associated with each advertisement and submit a separate application for every internship/job opportunity for which you wish to apply.

• Look at Senators personal websites (e.g. U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy)
  • Check under “About,” “Services Offered,” or “Contact Us” for internship posting
  • Full list of senators & their websites: U.S. Senate: Senators
• Look at Committee websites (e.g. U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget)
  • Also check out the minority committee website for additional internships
  • Full list of Senate committees: U.S. Senate: Committees
•  U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms: SAA Internship Program

House Internships/Jobs

The House offers many internship and job opportunities in Washington, DC, and district offices around the U.S.  Opportunities are generally available in the spring, summer, and fall. Summer positions are the most popular and most competitive. Applying for an internship or fellowship is similar to applying for admission to a college or university. The application process takes time and effort, often requiring essays and interviews.

• Look at Representatives personal websites (e.g. Congressman Thomas Suozzi )
  • Check under “About,” “Services Offered,” or “Contact Us” for internship posting
  • Full list of house reps & their websites: Representatives | house.gov
• Look at Committee websites (e.g. U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce)
  • Also check out the minority committee website for additional internships (often linked on majority websites)
•  Full list of House committees: Committees | house.gov 

 

Diversity & Inclusion Internships

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Internship
• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Internship
• Native American Congressional Internship
• Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
• https://victoryinstitute.org/programs/victory-congressional-internship/

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National Organizations Sponsor Fellows and Interns

• Congressional Fellowships and Internships
  • Generally, these programs provide pay for interns/fellows and assist in placement with an office.

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Fellowships

• The job description of a fellow can greatly vary. Some fellowships are only open to applicants who have completed graduate school while other programs take current undergraduate students. Participating in a fellowship can help students be placed in offices they might otherwise have been unable to connect with.
• There is a wide variety of fellowships, ranging from religious organizations to social identity groups to specific topic interests.

 

To apply to law school, there is not one “correct” path or job you need to work! People work as paralegals, in government, as teachers, and engineers. Apply to whatever job makes the most sense for you and your interests.