City of Madison Office of the Common Council

Internship Location: Madison WI

Organization Type: Local Government

Policy Areas: Economic Policy/Budget, Housing, Social Welfare

I have enjoyed my internship experience. I learned a lot about local government structure and the role local government plays in the public’s everyday lives. The skills I have been learning at La Follette helped me in this internship by preparing me to read, write, and research policy, and I feel more confident when doing so. I have been surprised by the many policy restrictions that exist at the federal and state levels that impact what local government can do and provide to its citizens. Throughout this internship, the networking and relationships I have built have been most valuable to me. I would recommend this internship to future students, especially through the AASPIRE program during the summer, because it allowed me to be creative and provided a respectful space to learn, ask questions, and contribute to the work that most directly impacts Madison. This internship will help my future career because it will provide me with hands-on policy experiences and strengthen my transferable skills.