Reflections from an Intern with the CGA: Marium M.
Interning at the Connecticut General Assembly is a very diverse experience in terms of the work I am assigned and the people I have interacted with so far this semester.
The legislative process is not something that can only be learned in a classroom; it is something that needs to be experienced. This internship provided the means for experiencing the legislative process and also getting the chance to interact with a wide variety of people on a daily basis. I really enjoyed the various projects assigned through the program such as the bill tracking project, library research project, and the interview project. All of these assignments were very helpful in enabling me to step outside my comfort zone and talk to individuals I would not usually get a chance to interact with at the CGA.
I also enjoy the work given to me by my legislator and aide. As a political science major, I enjoy research and writing so completing these tasks were both enjoyable for me personally. In the beginning of the session, I was mostly responsible for researching bills such as their history and similar bills in other states. This week, I spent most of my time writing various letters for constituents. Writing letters to constituents is especially interesting because I get to read what the people of my representative’s district are concerned about. There always seems to be a pattern and as of now most letters are about the budget cuts and the department of social services. It is inspiring to see so many people take the time out of their day to write a letter expressing their concerns about political decisions. Citations are also an enjoyable task because they usually concern individuals who have served their community extensively. When walking through a citation, I am always pleasantly surprised as to how kind everyone at the CGA is to me. I remember the first time I had to walk through a citation I got lost in the Capitol Building, but was guided by a very kind lady in the Clerks Office. The environment at the CGA is very positive and bustling with activity throughout the day, which is something I really like to see in the workplace.
This week I was granted the opportunity to meet the governor. I was surprised that he was willing to make time in his busy schedule for a group of interns, but it just goes to show that although we are interns we are still valued participants of the CGA. We all met at the Capitol Building and were granted time to ask questions in his office. He was a very personable individual and gave straightforward answers to all our questions. I had the notion that he must be a tremendously busy individual, but he is clearly skilled in prioritizing. For example, even as governor, he manages to make time to work out first thing in the morning, which is very inspiring. We even got the opportunity to take a picture with him before heading out.
On Thursday afternoon, we also had a meeting for our intern mock session that will be held next Tuesday. I am very excited to be a part of the mock session since we will be granted the opportunity to essentially become the legislators and try to pass mock bills that are under consideration this Spring Session. I think it is very easy for outside individuals and even staffers such as aides and interns to criticize the legislators for the way bills are decided upon. I think this mock session will enable us to go through the same stressed and hopefully similar conversations as the legislators as we try to pass bills.
Overall, I think this internship is worth it for anyone who is remotely interested in understanding the legislative process and politics in general. Personally, I never envisioned becoming a politician, but still find this internship to be very educational and insightful to my career goals. I am usually very quick to criticize government, but with this internship I have newly gained respect for politicians who are responsible for making very tough decisions on behalf of their constituents. As of now, I look forward to the mock session and continue to learn everyday I come into the Connecticut General Assembly.
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