Maryland General Assembly Internship Program

You are invited to apply for the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) Internship Program, a two-semester course open only to students who have earned superior academic records and who have demonstrated effective writing skills.  Your academic record indicates you are an excellent fit for this limited-admissions program.

Many program alums have claimed that the MGA program offers the best internship opportunity at UMCP. Interns serve at the MGA for twenty hours a week during the spring legislative session. Their assignments develop invaluable professional skills. In previous sessions, interns researched proposed legislation, responded to constituent mail, organized news conferences, and wrote and delivered testimony. The internship (ENGL388M/HONR379W) conveys six credits.

The preceding fall semester course (ENGL381/HONR368A) conveys three credits, and teaches students the skills that the internship will require. In addition, students learn about the MGA and Maryland state politics.

For students under university CORE, the combination of ENGL 381 and ENGL 388M will fulfill your Professional Writing Requirement.  For students under the university General Education program, ENGL 381 satisfies the Professional Writing Requirement, and ENGL 388M satisfies one Scholarship in Practice requirement.

Benefits of participating in the program:

•             Earn a total of nine credits
•             Complete the university’s professional writing graduation requirement
•             Receive a minimum of $850 as a stipend to help defray expenses
•             Receive a pass for free parking in the Naval Academy stadium parking lot
•             Serve as an undergraduate ambassador to the state government

Many program alums consider two other benefits even more valuable. First, the program helps develop skills that will help graduates secure real-world jobs. Second, it enables them to network with legislators and legislative staff. (Four program alums currently work for the MGA!)

Here’s what recent interns had to say about their experience in Annapolis:

·         “My Delegate asked me to prepare testimony for his bill hearing.  He read my speech verbatim during the hearing and was quoted in the local paper the next day!”

·         “My Senator, my office, and other connections I made in Annapolis recommended me for jobs after graduation and wrote great law school recommendations.”

·         "I learned more in this internship than I ever could from sitting in a classroom. The firsthand experience of being in Annapolis and experiencing the day-to-day actions helped me to gain a much better understanding of how Maryland politics works."

You can find full information about the program on http://www.english.umd.edu/academics/undergraduate/internships/current/mga-0.

To apply, just download an application form from the website. You will need to submit the completed application (including an unofficial copy of your transcript) along with two recommendations ASAP to receive full consideration. The application deadline for your portion of the application is Friday, April 8, 2016. (Recommendations may come later if necessary.) After that, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have additional questions about the program, please feel free to contact me at lewiske@umd.edu.