Evanston, Illinois Student Interns In Durbin's Washington DC, Senate Office
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Evanston native Leslie Paluch spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill Judiciary Committee office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin’s Washington, D.C., office. Judiciary Interns help committee staff and Senator Durbin prepare for hearings while also assisting with other legislative duties. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the federal government, and develop valuable research skills.
“Forty-five years ago, I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Senator Paul Douglas (D-IL),” Senator Durbin said. “I will never forget that day in February of 1966 when he agreed to hire me as an intern to work in his office. It was one of the most exciting things I had ever done; a student from East St. Louis, Illinois was going to work in the office of a U.S. Senator. I know what a valuable experience it can be and we strive to make sure all of our students get a glimpse into the workings of the United States Senate.”
Raised in Evanston, Paluch is currently beginning her second year at Georgetown University Law Center. She previously interned for Senator Durbin’s Chicago office and would like to connect her passion for law while working in the Judiciary Committee office.
“I love studying the intersection of public policy and the law,” Paluch said. “One goal of mine while interning is to work on a project where my research gets passed on to Senator Durbin.”
The internship program is designed to provide interns with experience in the core functions of a Senate office and allow them to gain a better understanding of the federal legislative process. Their responsibilities include assisting full-time staff in responding to various constituent requests, assisting with information inquiries, attending committee and agency hearings and briefings, researching legislative issues and policy questions, observing floor proceedings, and attending meetings related to specific legislation.