PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023

Bradley University congressional interns Sarah Sweeney, Luke Borri and Lavannya Deolalikar

Sarah Sweeney visits the U.S. Supreme Court

I would not have expected to do at all,” Deolalikar said. “We’re treated almost as normal staffers on the Hill.” A CHANCE TO NETWORK There are opportunities for network ing, too. Even something as simple as a Capitol Hill tour for visiting constituents can offer that. “It connects us to people from all dif ferent places and regions,” Sweeney said. “I personally don’t think that’s networking I would’ve had without this internship.” Other networking has included brown-bag lunches with office staff, one-on-one discussions about law school and policy-work positions with office mentors, and receptions with female chiefs of staff to a bipartisan group of members of Congress. Sometimes it can even be chance encounters in the hallway. “As a college student – especially as a college student – you don’t just expect to see your elected officials to be out and about like normal people,” Deolalikar said. “Even if you run into someone in the hallway, it’s not like they’re up on a pedestal. They’ll stop and talk to you and ask you about your day.” SIGNS OF BIPARTISANSHIP Students also are having some assumptions challenged as they take part in the process and see the

“They (congressional staff) love when we ask questions, and love to engage with us,” Sweeney said. That’s especially important when preparing briefing material for meet ings on a tight deadline. “Everything we do is just so important in its own way, and that overall is just its own learning opportunity,” Deola likar said. “We get to figure out what it means to be a part of an office and function alongside others who help a congressperson.” The interns are broadening their own perspectives, as well. Each of them graduated high school in the Chicago suburbs before coming to Bradley. In Borri’s case, he wasn’t familiar with agriculture-related issues. But Sorensen’s office covers a substantial swath of farmland. “When you’re working in an office that has constituents out in the country, you have to teach yourself what it means to be a farmer, and put yourself in that mindset and frame your responses (to letters and emails) in a way that is both empathetic to their situation and able to give them the help they need,” he said. In addition to their daily responsibili ties, interns also are able to research an issue and propose a piece of legislation for their office to introduce. “Considering people typically think of an intern as the lowest rung on the ladder, that was definitely something

emphasis on governing and getting things accomplished. “Every day it’s about trying to find a bipartisan, middle ground,” Borri said. “I get to learn to work with people who I don’t exactly agree with on everything.” That spirit holds true on the floor of the House and in committee hearings, too. We may hear daily about the polarization in Washington, but it isn’t always a partisan slug-fest. “It’s not just one person coming after the other,” Deolalikar said. “Each side is having a very substantive discussion about how they can achieve what is, essentially, a common goal. That is definitely amazing to see.” “From what I’ve witnessed (in commit tee hearings), they really do try to meet in a bipartisan way, and they really do try ... to find a middle ground,” Sweeney added. “It really does boost your faith.” An event to raise funds to support the program in perpetuity will be held Aug. 19 at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. More information is available at www.dirksencenter.org.

Chris Kaergard is communications director and historian at the Dirksen Congressional Center. Prior to that, he was a longtime journalist in Peoria

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