Internship Location: Madison
Organization Type: State Government
Policy Areas:
Over the summer of 2022, I worked with Wisconsin State Assemblywoman Robyn Vining at the Wisconsin state capitol building. Representative Vining represents the 14th Assembly District which covers parts of Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and Brookfield. As an intern in this office, my responsibilities included writing letters to constituents, creating social media posts, entering data based on past legislation, attending briefings and events, and keeping up to date with news relevant to my representative. Most of my communication (letter writing and social media) revolved around informing constituents about Representative Vining’s stance on issues, alerting them of new legislation, or highlighting past work that she fought to pass. My work was completed in the Vining office at a desk where I was able to communicate with the two legislative aids: Stephanie and Ben. I felt that always being able to communicate with someone else who worked in the Vining office was extremely beneficial as I was adjusting to my position. Throughout my internship, my work almost always focused on ways to connect with constituents. Whether it be checking the daily news, writing to constituents about concerns or achievements, or sending out mass media to keep people in the district aware of certain decisions or stances – it all relates back to the people. Both the knowledge and experience I gained from this internship reminded me of the importance of people and their role in legislation and government. Also, with this being my first hands on position, I learned the importance of language and messaging in different types of legislature and how it may be worded based on political affiliation. Reflecting on this experience, I am extremely grateful that I was able to better understand governmental practices and grow as an individual in a very supportive office!