Interns' Experiences
at the Center for Legislative Archives
The Center for Legislative Archives has hosted over one hundred and twenty-five interns over the course of the last ten years. Each intern has left the Archives with a unique experience.
"While working at the Center, I was able to see how its outreach staff brings the history of Congress to the American people through programs like the "House Fellows" workshops for secondary school teachers." ~Eric
Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2010
Majors: History, American Culture Studies
"As a native of the DC area I thought I knew everything there was to know about Washington, but I was wrong. Interning at the Center for Legislative Archives gave me an incredible opportunity to work firsthand with the records of Congress. Some of my projects included researching the debates surrounding the Seventeenth Amendment and finding documents related to Hawaii's path to statehood for a feature that is currently available on the Center's website. While working at the Center, I was able to see how its outreach staff brings the history of Congress to the American people through programs like the "House Fellows" workshops for secondary school teachers. I also got to take advantage of all that Washington, DC has to offer. I even got to go to Capitol Hill to watch the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings for now-Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Spending my summer at the Center for Legislative Archives reminded me why I decided to major in history!"
"The hands-on approach, which characterizes the CLA's philosophy towards their interns, allowed me to do everything from investigating Congressional legislation to helping with researcher requests to seeing some of the peerless documents which constitute our country's history." ~Emily
Portland State University, Class of 2010
Major: History
"My internship at the Center for Legislative Archives (CLA) was an excellent experience. As a history major the opportunity to work at the National Archives and live in Washington, DC was a life changing experience. The projects I worked on with members of the CLA's passionate, intelligent and fun staff deepened my knowledge of American history, broadened my understanding of Congress, and strengthened my skills as a researcher and writer. The hands-on approach, which characterizes the CLA's philosophy towards their interns, allowed me to do everything from investigating Congressional legislation to helping with researcher requests to seeing some of the peerless documents which constitute our country's history"
"My internship at the Center for Legislative Archives provided me with the tools and experience necessary to achieve my goals." ~Lauren
Bucknell University, Class of 2009
Majors: Political Science, American History
Future plans: Graduate school for public history or museum studies
"I've always possessed a passion for history and a desire to share the importance of America's past with others. My internship at the Center for Legislative Archives provided me with the tools and experience necessary to achieve my goals. I worked closely with the other staff members to develop an understanding of the nation's records, but unlike many internship programs, the nature of their assignments allowed me to develop a degree of independence. As an Outreach Intern, I worked primarily on the educational publication Congress and the Shaping of American History, composing sidebars, writing biographies, and researching at the Library of Congress. With each task, my supervisors encouraged me to ask questions and valued my individual opinion. At the conclusion of my internship I was even given the opportunity to present my work to some of my colleagues and to offer suggestions for the layout of one of the units. This unique approach allowed me to come away from my internship with not only an improvement in my writing and communication skills, but also with a greater sense of confidence in my ability to contribute in a professional environment."
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