Where Are They Now – Intern Edition
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
South Dakota’s congressional office has a tight-knit team – there are eight full time staff in Washington, three in Sioux Falls, two in Rapid City, and one in Aberdeen. That’s 14 folks, plus me, who handle all the congressional-related work in our entire state.
On a day-to-day basis, our offices stay busy. There’s policy to analyze, bills to write, hearings to attend, media interviews to prepare for, casework to handle, and constituents to meet. Now, most people I know in South Dakota are busy, so I don’t say this to complain. I say this to highlight the people behind the scenes making a lot of what we do possible with such a small staff – our interns.
South Dakota is overflowing with talent. In the last year we’ve welcomed nearly twenty interns to our various offices and each student has been exceptional. They help keep the wheels turning and are thrown into the swing of things from day one.
Our interns help us a lot, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight the benefits of interning full-time in a congressional office. South Dakota’s congressional interns go from understanding the basics of a professional office to learning how to assist legislative staff on policy analysis – it’s a win-win for both parties.
The internship experience in one of our offices is a great stepping stone as well. Ally Brandner interned with my office for several months before starting a full-time position with one of our state’s health care systems. Ally said, “My internship with Dusty solidified my decision to pursue a career in government relations. I saw firsthand the role government plays in the health care arena, and I am able to utilize the skills I gained from my internship every day at work.”
Our first session of 2019 summer interns included Michaela Goldammer, who ended up briefly working full-time with our Washington staff before making the transition back to South Dakota. Michaela said, “My internship was so much more than giving tours. I went to work every day knowing the staff was depending on me to do my part. Dusty’s team asked what I was interested in and gave tasks in that area so I could grow.” Michaela now works full-time fundraising for children at a non-profit foundation.
Internships and apprenticeships provide valuable experience before students enter the workforce. Often, they even lead to a full-time job. One of our latest interns, Julia Loudenburg, started in our office last fall and now manages front office operations as our Washington Staff Assistant. She’s finishing up her degree in the evening and works full-time during the day.
Our office is now accepting internship applications for Summer 2020 in all locations – Washington, D.C., Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, and Rapid City. If I didn’t make it clear enough, our interns are an integral part of the team, and we want you to join.
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Great staff and interns!!!! I appreciate the help navigating the Washington DC Infrastructures due to rain, time constraints, and added security. Meagan thank you!!