Internships

My office is always accepting resumes from college students interested in interning for academic credit. By assisting the Congressman’s district staff, interns have the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about how a Congressional office provides constituent services, interacts with the community. Interns in the Washington, D.C. office will have an opportunity to learn about the legislative process and the federal government by working closely with the legislative, communications and constituent services staff members. All internships are unpaid and candidates who are chosen for the Washington, D.C. office may be responsible for paying their travel and living expenses. However, interns in any office can arrange to receive academic credit for their work. My internship program is open to all area college students, regardless of major.

Applying for an internship
All applicants must submit the following materials:
  • A cover letter that addresses why the applicant is interested in the program
  • An up-to-date resume
  • A 1-2 page writing sample
Applications can be submitted by mail, email or fax.  To apply for an internship in Batavia or Dixon, email the application materials to meghan.auker@mail.house.gov, fax them to 603-406-1808 or mail them to 27 N. River Street, Batavia IL 60510.  To apply for an internship in Washington, DC, email the application materials to corey.solow@mail.house.gov, fax them to 202-225-2976 or mail them to 2304 Rayburn HOB, Washington DC 20515. *Note: Please allow 2 weeks for processing if a hard copy of the application is mailed to the DC office.

Washington, DC Internships
Interns in the Washington, DC office will be able to observe the inner workings of the federal
government. Working with the Washington staff gives students a chance to see how the House
functions, and how it interacts the other branches of government. Additionally, interns are
encouraged to take advantage of everything Capitol Hill has to offer, including listening to floor
debate, congressional hearings, seminars and speeches, and visiting Washington’s museums.

District Internships: Batavia and Dixon, Illinois
Internships in the District offices will allow students to learn about how government can help the
people of Illinois through constituent service. Interns in the district offices may also work on such
projects as compiling daily news summaries concerning Illinois happenings and the Congressman's activities, and may assist Congressman Foster’s staff with special events around the 14th District. District offices are located in Batavia and Dixon.

Internship Responsibilities
Interns in all offices participate in a broad range of office operations, ensuring a well-rounded
experience. Interns should expect a balance of work that includes answering constituent calls,
handling mail and other day-to-day office affairs, along with other more substantive duties. In the
Washington office, these may include work in any of the following areas:
Administrative: Interns will be responsible for helping to run an effective and efficient Congressional office, greeting visitors in the front office, leading Capitol tours, assisting with office management duties including budget, supply and information systems administration.
Press: Working with our communications department, interns will keep Congressman Foster and his staff updated on the latest news by compiling print, television and radio stories and tracking
important issues. Duties also include maintaining press contact databases, assisting with press
releases and preparation for press conferences.
Legislative: As a member of Congressman Foster’s legislative team, you will conduct research on specific issue areas, help prepare briefs for use in committee and the floor of the House, report on hearings, investigate pending legislation and help the legislative correspondents respond to constituent concerns.

If you have any questions about the application process, please call Meghan in the Batavia office at 630-406-1114 or Daisy in the Washington office at 202-225-2976.

Questions
Are internships paid?
Interns work on a voluntary basis and do not receive financial compensation for their work.
Interns must provide their own housing and transportation. Funding for internships may be
available through university stipends or private scholarship sources.

Who is eligible to apply?
Priority is given to Illinois residents who are undergraduate students in college and who are able
to work full time (35-40 hours per work week), but high school students and applicants from
outside Illinois may be considered. Some positions will be open to graduate and law students;
those applicants will generally be considered separately. For an overview of federal fellowship
and career internship opportunities, graduate students may also find very helpful information in
the Congressional report Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience Opportunities in
the Federal Government.