|
Legislative Internship Program
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Internship Program provides an opportunity
to be an active participant in the legislative process of our state. House interns
will work closely with state representatives and will be part of a governing body
that produces laws and shapes public policy for Oklahoma’s nearly 4 million residents.
The program offers a chance for interns to develop interpersonal communication skills
and both political and administrative skills.
The best time to participate in the Oklahoma House of Representatives Internship
Program is in the spring semester, during the regular legislative session. Applications
should be submitted by December 23 for the following spring. This allows staff enough
time to review an applicant's capabilities and interests before making placement.
The internship is open to students enrolled for credit through an educational institution.
The institution will provide all academic requirements and determine all final grades.
The House provides a meaningful and intellectually stimulating work experience.
The hours are flexible, based upon the academic requirements, but must be regular.
Prospective interns are placed with legislators or staff according to the interests
and goals of each individual applicant. By identifying an intern's interests and
goals we hope to ensure that the educational needs of the student are effectively
met and accommodate the practical needs of individual legislators and staff offices.
Duties and Responsibilities
Aside from being able to use their knowledge and talents in a professional setting,
Oklahoma House of Representatives interns are given the opportunity to acquire new
skills and gain further knowledge of the political process.
Throughout the course of an internship, participants are asked to handle a wide
variety of duties essential to the legislative process and designed to provide them
with a valuable educational experience. Some of these responsibilities include:
- Conducting research on specific issues
- Monitoring and reporting on committee meetings for legislators
- Researching and drafting responses to constituent inquiries
- Summarizing reports or bills
- Assisting with mail and telephone contacts
- Contacting other legislators, administrative personnel, and lobbyists
- Assisting with instruction about the legislative process
The experience and knowledge acquired during the state legislative session can be
a great asset and lead to exciting career opportunities, as is apparent by the many
former interns who are now successfully employed as a result of their education
and skills gained at the state Capitol.
Testimonials From Former Interns
The following are examples of how a few of our former interns were able to accelerate
their career paths after working as House interns:
Bill Hart, University of Oklahoma Student
Bill Hart
|
My experience as an intern at the Oklahoma House of Representatives has been one
of the best educational experiences in which I have had the pleasure of participating.
I interned in the office of Representative Chuck Hoskin, and assisted in several
different projects. I had the privilege of attending caucus meetings and sitting
in on committee meetings. With these experiences I was able to gain a better understanding
of how our state government functions and see how vital it is for the citizens of
our state to participate.
I would highly recommend anybody who has an interest in the policy, government,
or public service to take advantage of this great resource. These internships are
a great opportunity to experience first-hand all the intricacies involved in the
formulation of legislation and public policy. Participating in one of these internships
is extremely rewarding, educational, and fun. All of the staff at the Capitol are
extremely friendly and helpful and they all strive to make the experience one of
the best possible.
|
Britney Guerriero, OSU-OKC Student
|
Interning at the House of Representatives was a great experience that I will value
for the rest of my life. I was assigned to Representative Mike Thompson. Watching
him and his staff allowed me to glimpse the world of lawmaking that I would have
otherwise never seen and I believe that this was very beneficial to my scholastic
career as well as any professional career I embark on.
While interning I met a variety of interesting people that helped broaden my knowledge
on many subjects that were being discussed in the Legislature. I recommend interning
to anyone who has any interest in the lawmaking process or politics and I am grateful
to Capitol staff for the wonderful experience.
|
Britney Guerriero
|
Deshelda Hall, OSU-OKC
Deshelda Hall
|
Extraordinary best describes my work experience at the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
From the moment I arrived as a legislative intern for the Speaker Pro Tempore Gus
Blackwell, I was elated by the enchanting artwork in which filled the walls of the
legislative chamber. Fortunately, my decision to intern proved to be the best direction
for my enlightenment, culturally and academically. Honored to serve, I learned administrative
duties such as techniques for reading and summarizing bills, and highlighting content
of importance to the Representative’s views. Furthermore, I participated in retrieving
house bills for the agenda, answering phones, message-taking, and the mailing out
acknowledgement correspondence, certificates and awards of achievement to those
in the communities. Other projects provided me the opportunity of hands-on-experience
in the process of serving the committee staff. In addition, I was given the task
of researching data for legislative proposals. I highly recommend this honorable
experience to those interested in developing a knowledge base of politics in its
political strategic eloquence.
|
Documents
The following documents are required to be completed and signed if you are interested
in Internship.
All Publications are in Adobe Acrobat .PDF Format
Contact Information
For further information, or if you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Chief Clerk
109 State Capitol Building
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4885
(405) 521-2711
|