1. What is the Maryland General Assembly Internship Program?
2. What are the qualifications for this internship?
3. What do interns do?
4. Will I have a say in my placement?
5. What characterizes the differences in placements?
6. How will I be prepared for the internship?
7. How will I be graded in the writing seminar?
8. What will be my time commitment in Annapolis?
9. What are the academic requirements of the internship?
10. What if I don't have transportation to Annapolis?
11. Why should I do this internship?
12. How and when do I apply for this internship?

• The Maryland General Assembly Program, limited to 23 students, places interns with legislators in Annapolis during the 90 day spring legislative session which begins in early January and ends in early April (six credits of ENGL 388M). Students are prepared for this internship in the fall in a writing seminar (three credits of ENGL 381). 

This program has the following goals:

• To prepare students for a highly politicized professional environment
• To enhance professional writing and oral communication skills
• To teach analysis of public policy
• To provide opportunities for students to learn about government, politics, democratic processes, public administration, the making of public policy, the nature of power
• To provide professional development for students
• To provide public servants with highly valued aides during the hectic legislative session
• To provide important service learning for students
• To enhance the University's relationship to the legislature through skilled and well-prepared interns

• Minimum 3.0 G.P.A.
• Junior standing by the semester you do the internship
• A grade of B or better in your writing courses

• Most interns work with bills, at least collecting, filing and tracking them. However, what interns do depends on the nature of the intern's placement. The following are additional typical tasks:
  
• Answering phones
• Summarizing bills
• Attending hearings and other meetings
• Lobbying other legislators for support for bills
• Responding to constituents
• Researching bills or constituent concerns
• Maintaining legislator's schedule
• Organizing the support for a bill hearing
• Testifying before a committee on a bill
  
• Although what you do depends on the placement, what you learn is not limited to what you do as an intern. You will learn as much in Annapolis from observing the process as you will from intern tasks.

• Interns are placed in the fall semester. As the first assignment of the writing seminar in the fall, students will complete an application for the Assembly. Students will research placements and direct these materials towards the kind of placement desired. The intern coordinator in Annapolis matches these materials with the legislators' requests for interns and makes a referral. Student and legislator will then interview one another on their needs and expectations. Each has the right of refusal. If either one refuses the placement, each will be given another referral.

• The single most important difference in placements depends on the specific needs and character of the legislator's office
• Also important are the legislator's committee assignments, legislative interests, the nature of the district and constituents served in the office, the political party of the legislator, the legislator's role in the Assembly.
• Finally, the mix of personalities in the office.

• The preparatory writing seminar, ENGL 381, is designed on an experiential learning and technical/business writing model. The class is designed to rehearse typical intern writing tasks, to develop professional communication skills (oral, written, and collaborative), and to teach legislative processes and issues. Students will be encouraged to take charge of the learning in the seminar through student-led workshops, peer response to drafts, a collaborative research project, and a midterm and final evaluation of their learning.
• Assignments also include the application for the placement in Annapolis with resume, cover letter and personal essay; a bill summary and research questions; constituent letters, a press release, a policy analysis (a collaborative research project), and testimony on the project. All assignments are revised and presented in a portfolio at the end of the semester.

• The writing seminar, ENGL 381, is a regular class, and you will be graded on your written assignments, group project, class presentation, and participation.
• During the internship, you will be evaluated both by your supervisor at the MGA and by the course instructor. Each evaluation will count for half of your grade. As part of the course, you will write several assignments, and these will be graded as writing assignments. At the internship, your supervisor will likely evaluate you based on your timeliness, dependability, ability to self-start on projects, initiative to take on new responsibilities, and your overall attitude and willingness to work as part of an office team.

• Interns work a total of twenty hours each week, usually over two and a half days, from early January to early April, through spring break. The usual schedule is all day Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a half day Wednesday. Other schedules are possible, but a M.W.F. schedule is not effective because the legislators go home early on Friday and return late Monday for an evening session. If you cannot work at least part of Tuesday and Thursday, you will not have a good placement.

• As an intern, you do biweekly assignments which include a job description, a memo of understanding to your field supervisor in which you contract your mutual expectations, a proposal for your policy analysis on a bill you are following, a progress report on the internship, a progress report on your policy analysis, a final evaluation and a policy analysis.

• Unfortunately there is no public transportation. But many student interns do drive and arranging carpools is typical and easy.

• Interns often tell me this program is one of their best collegiate learning experiences. Students learn experientially about writing in the workplace, about their own competencies and interests, and about the nature of government, politics, and the making of public policy. However, it is not for everyone.

 

Those who like the program usually:	Those who don't like the program usually:
Like to write Have an interest in government Learn experientially Are adaptable Work hard and accept responsibility easily	Don't like to write Have no interest in government Need total structure to their learning Cannot deal with the unexpected Don't like work or responsibility

12. How and when do I apply for this internship?

• Download an application or pick one up from 2115 Susquehanna Hall
• Applications for the 2009-2010 program are being accepted on a rolling basis.
• Questions can be direct to Jennifer Ashlock, Internship Coordinator, at 301-405-3825, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or the instructor, Dr. Lowderbaugh, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it