Amanda Ayers ’14 interned with the House of Representatives, Ways & Means Committee (Majority) this summer with the help of the Capitol Hill Internship Fund, which provides a stipend of $300 per week up to $3,000 for students able to secure a Capitol Hill internship. Here’s a spotlight of her experience:

My Experience: This past summer, I was given the opportunity to intern with the House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee. This was my third consecutive summer being on Capitol Hill, after having previously worked for a personal office (Rep. Frank Wolf) and another committee (the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs). I was specifically serving the needs of its Subcommittee on Social Security. I was assigned a number of extensive research projects, most notably a master tracker for our members’ use. I created a comprehensive spreadsheet logging leading political organizations’ as well as representatives and senators’ positions on a number of key policy areas affecting our Subcommittee (i.e. switching to the chained Consumer Price Index, adjusting the progressivity of the Social Security benefit formula, increasing the retirement age, etc.). I helped launch the Committee’s first online posting project, in which I had to consolidate issues for the general public to have a better understanding of our ongoing efforts toward entitlement reform (linked HERE!). My experience was not only limited to writing, however. I produced and analyzed countless budget impact graphs based on actuarial data received by our Committee for our members, including a few on pieces of President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget.  My boss liked to joke that by the end of the summer, I had become one with Excel. Finally, I was able to attend a number of hearings, briefings, and conferences on and off of the Hill with leading D.C. political organizations and entitlement experts.

What is the most interesting or important thing you took from your internship this summer?

I was the youngest intern in our office. A rising senior at Bucknell, I still had one year of my undergraduate education to complete, while the others were job searching. To my benefit, I was able to see them experience the ups and downs of this process, as well as ask how to best go about setting myself up for professional success heading into my final year of school. I learned a number of things, most importantly the power of connections in a city like D.C. Always maintaining a smile, enthusiasm, hard work ethic, and sense of professionalism goes a long way as well.

Professional staffers are busy people! I learned that one of the most essential skills in the real world is being able to discern from a large quantity of information what is worth relaying to your superiors, who are almost always in a time crunch.  I tend to be a wordy writer, but by the end of the summer I was using much better discretion.

Also, fun fact: I met Paul Ryan! I was so star struck to see him, that when he asked me my name and where I was from, I completely blanked. About 2 minutes later (as I was walking away), I managed to blurt out something like, “Aman…VIRGINIA!” I was shaking for a good 20 minutes after that.

How did the Capitol Hill Internship Fund help make your experience possible?

The Bucknell Capitol Hill Program is beneficial in that it first offers compensation on a weekly basis for any unpaid internship on the Hill.  It not only covers you financially for the summer in a very expensive city, but also gives guidance and support in the actual process of securing an internship. I was able to discuss my political leanings, goals, and interests with a representative of a leading D.C. firm. She then helped me narrow down which offices I would be best suited for and would best fit my specific background and preferences.

Why would you recommend the Capitol Hill Internship Fund?

Given that the majority (if not all) of internship positions on Capitol Hill are unpaid, my enriching experiences would not have been possible without this fund.  With an impending graduation in May and subsequent looming job hunt, professional experience will be essential in setting me apart from other qualified applicants. I’ve loved the subject matter of the classes I have taken at Bucknell. That being said, there is only so much that you can learn within the confines of its gorgeous campus. The Bucknell Capitol Hill Program made a real-world application of everything that I have learned here possible, and I am beyond grateful to have been extended the opportunity to participate the last two summers.

Thanks so much to Amanda for sharing her amazing experience with us!  Learn how you can participate in the Capitol Hill Internship Program at the following info session:
– Thursday, Oct. 17, 4:00-5:00 pm, ELC 217
– Thursday, Nov 7, 3:30 -4:30 pm, ACWS 113
– Tuesday, November 19, 2 Info sessions with McAllister & Quinn, ELC 217:   1. 10 am 2. Noon
– Tuesday, Dec 3, 12-12:45 pm, Colemen 120

The application deadline is Monday, December 9, at 11:59 pm on the BRIDGE.

Please Note: Prior Capitol Hill interns may not reapply to the program; however, students who have applied in the past but not been accepted into the program, may reapply.