Burr Ridge Student Interns in Durbin's Senate Office

resident Kathryn Clausing has spent the past seven weeks interning for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator’s Capitol Hill office.

Every year, nearly 50 students intern in Durbin’s Washington, D.C. office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. 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.” 

Clausing will be a senior this fall at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she is studying Political Science and Communication. 

Serving as the press intern, she has spent her time in Senator Durbin’s office drafting press releases, monitoring news coverage, and assisting with media outreach. She is one of 24 interns from around the country working in Sen. Durbin’s office this summer.

“Working on Capitol Hill has been remarkable,” Clausing said.  “I’ve not only learned so much from working in Senator Durbin’s office, but also from my casual encounters and observations on the Hill.  I am honored to have this opportunity and I know that the things I have learned will stay with me in the future.”

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. Internships can range from 6 weeks to 12 weeks.

*The above was a media announcement from the office of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)