Internship Location: Madison WI
Organization Type: Nonprofit
Policy Areas: Government Relations/Lobbying/Law/Health/Social Welfare
Through my internship at the AARP I gained significant exposure to aging-related social and healthcare policy on state and federal levels. AARP is a large organization with a national office and offices in every state. I was the only intern in the Wisconsin State Office, working closely with the State Directors on Policy Advocacy. The internship was mostly remote due to COVID-19, though I will hopefully have opportunities to go into the office a few days a week later this Fall 2021. Because AARP often does policy and advocacy work related to healthcare, I spent a lot of time in the beginning of my internship building a more comprehensive understanding of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security than I had previously, including Wisconsin-specific healthcare related legislation. Though the internship I kept track of candidates for the 2022 Senate Race so we could reach out to them and share our upcoming policy priorities. I also spent time drafting and editing educational pamphlets and information sheets to send to legislators and constituents about existing programs and upcoming proposals that might affect them. During non-COVID years, interns have engaged with AARP volunteers and participated at volunteer events, but with COVID remaining a concern during my internship, I participated in the weekly phone call with WI AARP volunteers, and we are currently considering creative and COVID-safe ways to further engage with them. I feel so fortunate to have worked with a great team of people who were ready to help me dive into this work and discover what truly interests me.