'Wildcats in Washington' Gives UK Students Chance to Experience Capitol Hill

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 16, 2012) – The Wildcat Interest Group, the University of Kentucky Student Government's lobbying division, has announced summer internship opportunities reserved for UK students in the offices of Senator Mitch McConnell, Congressman Geoff Davis, Senator Rand Paul, Congressman Ben Chandler, Congressman Hal Rogers and Congressman Brett Guthrie for summer 2012. "Wildcats in Washington" gives University of Kentucky students an opportunity to intern in the District of Columbia and includes a $1,500 living stipend for those students selected through an application and interview process.

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These congressional positions represent an outstanding opportunity for students to work with lawmakers and governmental agents, experiencing the role of a Congressional intern tasked with constituent service and legislative research. 
 

"Six Washington internships, reserved specifically for our students, represent invaluable opportunities to live affordably in D.C. and work in the halls of Congress," said Nolan Jackson, associate director of WIG. "They encourage civic engagement and allow students to intern under the world's democratic decision-makers. This program truly is unrivaled."

"We cannot say 'thanks' enough," Matt Doane, associate director of WIG, said. "Without the generous sponsorship and support of the UK Alumni Association, Wildcats in Washington would still be a proposal on paper. The invitation to speak to alumni and promote our program in Washington speaks to the nature of our Wildcat family."

The internship application deadline for Senator McConnell's office was Sunday, Feb. 12, and is currently under review.

The remaining summer internships, open to all University of Kentucky students returning for fall semester 2012, require a one-page application sheet and corresponding Congressional Internship application of the Congressman to which a student applies. Those documents and all additionally-required materials should be completed and submitted by 3 p.m. to the SGA office, 120 Student Center, by Thursday, March1:

Students who do not know their Congressional district should access Kentucky Voter Information Center to see their registration and district information (https://cdcbp.ky.gov/VICWeb/index.jsp).

Though length of internship varies, each position's term ranges from four to six weeks.

Students deemed qualified by an impartial, unaffiliated selection committee will be notified for interview within 24 hours of the deadline. After interviews, one preferred and one secondary candidate will be recommended for selection to each respective office, at which point that office will award the summer position to one student. Those selected students will be eligible for a $1,500 living stipend upon accepting the Congressional office's final offer.

For more information and all application materials, including application requirements, please visit Wildcats in Washington online at http://uksga.org/applications/wig-internship

Any questions regarding "Wildcats in Washington" should be directed to Jackson at nolan.jackson@uky.edu.

The University of Kentucky Student Government Association represents all undergraduate, graduate and professional students enrolled at UK in several critical ways including to increase student influence over academic policy and to provide many helpful, creative and necessary student services; to protect and expand student substantive and procedural rights with the university and surrounding municipalities; and to better represent the student body in relations with faculty, administration, Board of Trustees and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Connect with SGA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ukstudentgovernment and on Twitter at twitter.com/UKSGA.