Internships
Congresswoman Hirono’s internship program provides opportunities for college students, recent college graduates and others interested in public service to gain firsthand knowledge of how a Congressional office operates, to observe the legislative process at the federal level, and to develop research skills related to public policy.
Residents of Hawai‘i, especially the 2nd District, are encouraged to apply.
Interns are an important component of a congressional office. Interns perform a variety of tasks depending on the needs of the office and the particular interests and skills of the intern. Responsibilities include constituent service, research, legislative and administrative work to help Congresswoman Hirono and her staff.
It is possible to receive college credit for participation in the internship program.
Fulltime interns receive a stipend.
If you interested in an internship, please contact Congresswoman Hirono’s office.
The district office can be reached at 808-541-1986 or using one of the toll-free numbers below:
- Big Island: 935-3756
- Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau: 245-1951
- Maui: 242-1818
- Lana‘i: 565-7199
- Moloka‘i: 552-0160
- O‘ahu: 541-1986
The phone number for the Washington, DC office is (202) 225-4906.
Meet the Interns
A number of outstanding, hardworking, bright and friendly students have served as interns for Congresswoman Hirono in both Hawai‘i and Washington, DC.
Here are just a few of the stellar group that recently completed internships in Washington.
JENNY CHENG
Jenny is from Kaneohe, O‘ahu and attended Iolani School. She is currently a senior at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she is completing a major in Management and a minor in Chinese. Jenny serves as Co-President of the Hawai‘i Club at Georgetown.
Jenny says, “I had so much fun during my internship. I looked forward to coming into the office every week. I learned a lot about the government and the issues that people are concerned about. Most of all, I met a lot of amazing people.”
LAUREN CHUN
Lauren is from Lihue, Kaua‘i and attended Kaua‘i High School. She now studies at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Lauren is pursuing a Criminal Justice major and a Sociocultural Anthropology and Religion minor and plans to attend law school or graduate school. She is a Vice President of GWU’s Hawai‘i Club.
Lauren says, “I really appreciated the internship in Congresswoman Hirono’s office because it taught me about U.S. politics by letting me observe it rather than simply read about it in class. I became informed about issues that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Furthermore, it gave me valuable work experience. My most memorable experience was getting to see the Dalai Lama (as well as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and actor/activist Richard Gere) speak at the Capitol.”
MAGGIE COMSTOCK
Maggie is from Kailua, O‘ahu and attended Punahou School. She is now a Politics major and Environmental Studies minor at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Maggie is actively involved in campus life, serving as Green Club Founder and President, Executive Director of College Democrats and Programs Director for Amnesty International. She is considering further studies in international environmental law as preparation for a career in public service -- perhaps as an elected official.
Maggie says, “Working for Mazie has been an amazing experience and one of the highlights of my semester. I looked forward to going to work each day and was greeted by a friendly and welcoming staff. Congresswoman Hirono's office afforded me the opportunity to see the legislative process from a different perspective; this was an invaluable learning opportunity, and I would love to do it again. As a relatively small office, interns were given more involved tasks than many other congressional interns; it also provided a small microcosm of the islands in the big city of Washington, D.C. Working on the Hill for Congresswoman Hirono was a great experience and I encourage others from the district to look into it.”
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