As we head into the holiday season, the legislative interim is winding down. That means that my office, like many others in the Capitol, is beginning preparations for the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly. The Capitol office of the 21st Senatorial District is staffed year-round in order to help constituents with legislative questions or concerns. One way we are able to provide the highest level of customer service possible is the interns who join our staff for a few months each year.

My office is currently accepting applications for legislative interns for the winter/spring semester. I encourage any Missouri college student interested in learning about the legislative process and public service, no matter the major, to apply for an internship.

I am looking for individuals who will complement my hard-working team. Interns must be able to offer insightful thoughts regarding issues affecting our constituents. Strong written and verbal communication skills are a requirement, as everyone on our staff must be able to communicate effectively with constituents and other government offices. Specifically, interns are responsible for assisting with media-related tasks, handling constituent concerns, completing legislative research and performing various other duties that will help my office run more effectively for the benefit of citizens in the 21st Senatorial District. Our goal is to provide quality information about government at all levels, and our interns play an important role.

As I mentioned, interns do not necessarily need to have a political science background. For students interested in some of the issues we debate in the Senate, such as agriculture, budget, economic development, education, health care, and military and veterans’ affairs, there is no better way to learn the complexities of these subjects as they pertain to public policy. Legislative interns find that a semester in the Capitol can significantly broaden their knowledge of important issues that affect our state.

Typically, interns work during either their fall or spring semester in exchange for credit hours through their universities. A full-time internship requires more than 30 hours a week, while a part-time internship may be one day a week. If you or someone you know is interested in learning firsthand how your state government works, please apply online at www.senate.mo.gov/D21WebApps/intern.aspx. Résumés also may be mailed or faxed to my office. Feel free to e-mail me from my Senate web page at www.senate.mo.gov/pearce if you have any questions.

Senate interns are definitely an invaluable part of our office operations, but the experience is a two-way street. While my office and I come to depend on them as members of our staff, interns have the chance to learn about the legislative process and gain a profound level of knowledge about how our state laws are created. Internships can also lead to great employment opportunities. Regardless of the careers our interns pursue in the future, they will always be able to draw from their experience in the Capitol.

Opportunities also exist for high school students interested in government and public service. Each session, we have hosted local high school students who took the opportunity to come to the Capitol for a day as a “job shadow.” These students are able to experience the legislative process and see what it is really like to be a state senator. This is a great learning opportunity, and I encourage any student — high school or college — who is interested in job shadowing for a day at the Capitol to contact my office as well.