POPVOX Foundation, First Branch Intern Project, host first “INTERNAPALOOZA” of the 118th Congress
Orientation prepares Congressional interns to succeed in careers on and off the Hill
WASHINGTON, DC, January 30th, 2023 — POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project hosted the fifth “Internapalooza” orientation and welcome event for the spring class of Congressional interns, January 19th. More than 300 current House and Senate interns attended sessions focused on networking, career planning, and standing out in a Congressional internship.
A coalition of nineteen organizations from the First Branch Intern Project contributed in organizational or advisory capacities. The event featured welcome remarks from the first “Gen Z” Member of Congress, Rep. Maxwell Frost [D, FL], and three panels of speakers, including:
Nicole Tisdale, Advocacy Blueprints
Saat Alety, Federal Hall Partners
Tom Manatos, Tom Manatos Jobs
Keenan Austin Reed, Alpine Group
Aubrey Neal, Committee on House Administration
DaQuawn Bruce, College to Congress
Sofya Leonova, Partnership for Public Service
Maddie McCarthy, Prolegis
Dr. Casey Burgat, George Washington University
Anne Meeker, POPVOX Foundation
Speakers covered advice on leveraging the unique opportunities of a Congressional internship, understanding Congressional procedure, and making a good impression on employing offices. Attendees also had the chance to meet and network with speakers and other attendees at an evening reception.
More information on attending interns, including demographics of attending interns and additional internship details, is available here.
POPVOX Foundation Co-founder and Executive Director Marci Harris said:
“Internapalooza continues to demonstrate the power of a collaborative approach to supporting Congressional operations and modernization. We are honored to work with the organizations of the First Branch Intern project to welcome the next generation of public servants into this pivotal experience in their careers.
We are also thrilled with the recent news that the House will stand up a House Internship Resource Office, and look forward to sharing our blueprints and lessons learned with this team.”
ABOUT INTERNAPALOOZA
Internapalooza is a free event to help incoming interns start their semester off right with a level playing field and new connections. The event provides interns with basic information about the legislative process and Capitol Hill, networking opportunities, and tips on how to be a successful intern. It is hosted by the POPVOX Foundation and the organizations of the First Branch Intern Project, and was inspired by the work of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress to draw attention to the importance of internships and other early-career pathways into Congressional service.
Past Internapalooza session videos are posted at: https://www.internproject.org/past-session-videos
ABOUT THE POPVOX FOUNDATION
https://www.popvox.org/
The POPVOX Foundation works to inform and empower people and make government work better for everyone. This includes reimagining the concept of civic infrastructure, and providing new ways for government to share information and engage the public, with an emphasis on diverse participation and rebuilding public trust.
ABOUT THE FIRST BRANCH INTERN PROJECT
https://www.internproject.org/
The First Branch Intern Project began as the “Virtual Intern Project” in April 2020, when several organizations began meeting regularly to discuss supporting Capitol Hill interns during the pandemic. The project has evolved into an ongoing collaboration to provide resources and networking opportunities for Congressional interns and to promote diversity among those applying for and obtaining Congressional internships.
INTERNAPALOOZA COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Bipartisan Policy Center Action
Black Women’s Congressional Alliance
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Congressional Management Foundation
Partnership for Public Service
