A look into the Washington State Legislative Internship Program
Growing up, I came to the belief that the media was often deceptive and all around sad, and its portrayal of the world caused me to detest what little I knew of politics. I stuck to what I loved, which was always writing, and so I pursued a degree in English from the University of Washington. Moving from the small, familiar town I lived in to the much more outspoken city of Seattle made it difficult to ignore the importance of politics and government, as well as the importance of my involvement in it, whether I liked it or not. Since I knew next to nothing about something that deeply impacted my life, I developed a desire to learn more about how government works, and how it affects myself and the people around me. I soon approached a political science advisor with these concerns, and the rest fell into place: the applications for the Washington State Legislative Internship Program were open, and I decided to apply.
The Washington State Legislative Internship Program allows university juniors and seniors the unique position of engaging in state government as nonpartisan legislative staff, all while earning academic credit. Although the pandemic resulted in my intern cohort working online throughout the course of the internship, in-person cohorts work at the gorgeous Capitol building in Olympia, Washington. Regardless of the unfortunate circumstances caused by the pandemic, my online internship was still a life-changing experience.
In fact, the applications for the 2022 session just opened, and will close on October 20th. The program welcomes diverse applicants, including students from a wide variety of majors and levels of experience. Please share this link with any students you know looking to make significant change in politics:
https://leg.wa.gov/Internships/Pages/InternshipApplication.aspx
During my time as an intern, I was paired with Senator Chris Gildon of the 25th Legislative District (Pierce County). Senator Gildon is also a Board Member with the Mainstream Republicans of Washington. It was the work I did at the office of Senator Gildon, especially my research on Senate Bill (SB) 5331, that truly exposed me to the side of politics that was real, not the side of politics that I saw in the media. During session, Senator Gildon was a primary sponsor of SB 5331, which involves the expansion of early childhood court (ECC) programs within Washington State. The bill aims to provide assistance to young children (ages zero to three) and their families who are in or at risk of falling into the welfare system. Similar bills were proposed by former representative Ruth Kagi and former senator Hans Zeiger, but because of budgeting circumstances, the bills did not gain traction until Senator Gildon’s bill during the 2021 session.
It was my work drafting an op-ed in favor of this bill, as well as arguing the destined effectiveness of SB 5331 for my final paper, that made me realize how rewarding state government involvement is. I was able to interview Julie Hoffman, the Community Coordinator for Best for Babies, and realized the importance of ECC implementation, and the lack of statewide ECC support. Furthermore, I had the pleasure of interviewing Councilman Hans Zeiger, and was able to take a look into the history of the bill and appreciate the amount of work and time put into resolving such a paramount issue within our state. Throughout session, I gained an understanding of the incredible process of a bill becoming a law, as it was signed by Governor Inslee and effective as of July 25th, 2021. It was experiences like these, from drafting op-eds and conducting interviews to constituent contact, that made me feel like less of a number in the system and more of an active member in the lives of Pierce County citizens.
Aside from being able to make a tangible impact within the state by connecting with constituents and conducting legislative research, I also learned that government work does not have to be about competition or greed. One of the most impactful aspects of the internship as a whole was the connections with my fellow interns, as well as the supportive internship coordinators, who encouraged my goals as both a writer and as someone new to government work. Even months after the internship, my intern cohort still engages with each other through group chats and in-person visits, where we catch up on life and support each other in any way possible.
Knowing that my work, and the work of legislative staff everywhere, had a sincere impact within our state changed my own opinion of government and politics. It made me want to continue being involved with such an inspiring and motivated group of people. In fact, the relationships built during my time with the Washington State Legislature resulted in my position as a program intern for the Mainstream of Republicans of Washington (MRW). With MRW, I still see the amazing results that come from people who truly care about the future of our state.
Participating in opportunities to involve oneself in politics and government at a young age provides invaluable experience and connections that last a lifetime. Many of these fantastic experiences are offered within Washington State, through programs like the Washington State Legislative Internship Program, the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, and the Senate Page Program (links below). I would recommend such programs with high regard to anyone who is searching for meaning in their work and life in general. I guarantee that with such opportunities, you will find meaning in a place closer than you think, and you will be surprised at the capacity of your own abilities.
Check out these resources for more ways to become involved in state government:
· Washington State Senate Page Program (ages 14–16): https://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Administration/PageProgram/pages/default.aspx
· Washington State Legislative Internship Program: https://leg.wa.gov/Internships/pages/default.aspx
· Legislative Youth Advisory Council: https://www.walyac.org/
· Careers in Washington State: https://careers.wa.gov