First-ever comprehensive Congressional intern orientation held in collaboration with the House Select Committee on the Modernization Of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC, September 18th, 2021 — The POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project hosted the first-ever “Internapalooza,” in collaboration with the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (aka “ModCom”) on September 9-10. Over 280 current and prospective interns attended virtual sessions designed to familiarize them with Congress and give them skills to succeed in their internship and beyond.

The event was inspired by the April 2021 ModCom hearing on “Professionalizing and Enriching the Congressional Internship and Fellowship Experience,” which noted a lack of diversity and access to Congressional internships, the need for standardized training, and a lack of data to help Congress understand intern backgrounds, barriers, and experiences.

In his opening statement at the hearing, Select Committee Chair Derek Kilmer [D, WA] said:

“We know that many Hill careers do begin as internships. What we don't know is how many potential Hill careers end because of internships, and that's something we really need to consider [...]. Congress needs to figure out how to recruit interns who reflect the diversity of our constituencies, and then provide those interns with an experience that makes them want to pursue a career on the Hill.”

Select Committee Vice Chair William Timmons [R, SC] explained:

“The internship program has so much potential—it can do so much good, but unfortunately, for too many people, internships are an obstacle, not a stepping stone in their career. For years, committees in Congress have talked about staffing challenges: as far back as 1946, recommendations have been made regarding congressional staff. That just goes to show how hard these institutional challenges are to fix. Attracting talented and hardworking interns and retaining qualified staff is a struggle for many offices on the Hill. [...] I welcome discussion on how we can improve and build upon those recommendations in order to attract and retain qualified and diverse interns and staff.”

Internapalooza addressed these challenges head-on, by providing a chance for incoming Congressional interns to network with peers and mentors, learn from current and former staff on tasks and expectations in Congressional internships, and make the most of opportunities opened up by an internship in the First Branch.

POPVOX Foundation Co-founder Marci Harris explained that Internapalooza demonstrated the willingness of civil society organizations to work with Congress to address these problems.

“This event was the result of tremendous collaboration by the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project. Initial data from the event shows that this fall’s congressional interns are a diverse group from a variety of backgrounds. The broad participation in Internapalooza shows the need and enthusiasm for this kind of event that brings people together across geographies, backgrounds, and party lines.”

ABOUT INTERNAPALOOZA

Internapalooza is a free, virtual two-day event to help incoming interns start their semester off right with a level playing field and new friends from day one. The event provided interns with basic information about the legislative process and Capitol Hill, networking opportunities and tips on how to be a successful intern. It was hosted by the POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project, in collaboration with the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. The event was sponsored by Square, with ongoing support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Democracy Fund.

In addition to the main Internapalooza program, the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds and the House Committee on Ethics held official training sessions in the morning. Congressional Relationship Management software providers Leidos, Fireside and IndieGov also hosted intern training sessions.

Internapalooza session videos are available at: https://www.internproject.org/internapalooza and include:

Historical Perspective from the US Capitol Historical Society
Intern Project panel: Approaching your Internship for Success
Expert panel: Orienting to the Political, Physical & Digital Capitol
Staff panel: Working as Part of a Congressional Team

ABOUT THE POPVOX FOUNDATION

https://www.popvox.org/

The POPVOX Foundation works “to inform and empower people and make government work better for everyone.” This includes reimagining the concept of “civic infrastructure,” and providing new ways for government to share information and engage the public, with an emphasis on diverse participation and rebuilding public trust.

ABOUT THE FIRST BRANCH INTERN PROJECT

https://www.internproject.org/

The First Branch Intern Project began as the “Virtual Intern Project” in April 2020, when several organizations began meeting regularly to discuss supporting Capitol Hill interns during the pandemic. The project has evolved into an ongoing collaboration to provide resources and networking opportunities for Congressional interns and to promote diversity among those applying for and attaining Congressional internships.