Bennie G. Thompson Congressional Internship

The purpose of Congressman Thompson’s internship program is to offer college students and recent college graduates an opportunity to participate in the day-to-day operations of a Congressional office.  The program provides valuable work experience in an extremely dynamic environment and selected participants a great opportunity to learn the functions of a legislative office, as well as about Mr. Thompson's role as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the

Second Congressional District of Mississippi.  A quarter or semester long internship naturally provides an opportunity to discover how a Congressional office operates.  

Internships are viewed as mutually beneficial.  Interns who work in the Washington office carry out a combination of administrative duties. While some responsibilities are clerical in nature, there are opportunities to conduct substantive research, attend staff meetings, and Congressional hearings.  It must be emphasized that this internship is not guided so much by the staff or intern coordinator as it is by the intern.

Congressman Thompson fully supports students requesting credit through their university for their internship.  Because interns are viewed as part of the staff for the period they are affiliated with the congressional office, it is vital that they possess professionalism and maturity.  The staff and Mr. Thompson realize that the internship may be the intern's first career-oriented work experience job and there is a lot to learn.  Therefore, the intern who is a self-starter and relies on his/her sense of good judgment, common sense, and listening skills is extremely valuable in our office.

Office requirements:

o    Strong phone skills

o    Good typing ability

o    Computer experience

Submission requirements:

o    Cover letter, outlining interests and reason for pursuing internship

o    Resume

o    (2) Letters of recommendation

Please submit internship information to:

Congressman Bennie G. Thompson

2466 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

There is no formal application deadline, unless you are going through a school sponsored program. If so, they may have their own filing dates.  Since many students are out of school during the summer, we recommend that your application information for our summer program be submitted during the previous spring semester.  Please keep in mind that summer is a popular period for internships.