“This past semester I had the opportunity to participate in the Panetta Institute for Public Policy's Congressional Internship Program. Now in its eleventh year, this program provides small number of students a chance to engage in hands-on public policy, from attending lectures given by authorities in various fields, to in-depth policy research and of course, a full-time internship with a Member of Congress from the California delegation. During our time in Monterey and Washington DC, we had the privilege of hearing from a diverse group of leaders including former and sitting state and federal legislators, leaders of think tanks, former and current White House senior staff members, and many more.

For the eleven weeks of my internship, I was fortunate to be placed in the office of Congressman Dan Lungren from California's Third District. During my time in the office, I was able to witness the policymaking process firsthand and was tasked with a wide variety of duties including sorting and drafting constituent correspondence, conducting legislative research, leading Capitol tours, attending committee hearings and briefings and completing general administrative tasks. To work alongside the Members and staff who shape our national policy on a daily basis was an experience I will draw on well into the future, and I am continually grateful to the staff of CSULB and the Panetta Institute for facilitating this singular opportunity.”

-POSC major Andrew Kress, newly-returned from a Panetta Institute internship in Washington, DC