Diana Torres participated in the Illinois in Washington program, where she interned in the press office of a U.S. House of Representatives congressional office. She gained hands-on experience in communications by drafting talking points, managing social media content, attending hearings and press events, and supporting constituent outreach, strengthening her interest in pursuing a career in media and public affairs.
When I got accepted into the IIW program in the spring of 2025, I was nothing but thrilled and excited to start this amazing opportunity. I have always been very dedicated to school and community involvement, but wanted to have an experience that would catapult my career prospects and bring me memories I would be sure to never forget.
Each week until the start of my semester in Washington DC I loved talking to my professors about my plans and imagining the kinds of opportunities I would get in this amazing new city. I am very interested in communication and media roles, and had told my professors I wanted to pursue internships in digital media. I was thrilled the morning I got my offer letter saying I had been chosen for the press internship position in a congressional office in the U.S. House of Representatives. I remember gasping as I saw the email notification, calling my best friend and siblings, and waking my mom up from bed to share the news. I had gotten an internship on Capitol Hill. Every day I looked forward to coming to Washington DC.
Once I arrived I realized how different it was from Chicago, instead of sky scrapers there were federal buildings, and instead of a college campus I had the capital of the United States to call my home. On my first weekend in town my parents accompanied me to every major monument in the city, and took photos of me in front of the Capitol Building. They proudly told strangers “she’s starting her internship here next week!” They congratulated me and called me a future senator, I was in awe of everything that laid ahead of me. The other students in my program would quickly become my second family, and we would spend every day together exploring the city and all it had to offer. Some of my favorite memories from our first couple of weeks include nights walking next to the Potomac at the Wharf, visiting the Smithsonian’s, and then winding down at home with a movie night.
The thing I was the most excited about was my first day on Capitol Hill. My first day is a memory that I will treasure forever. I remember meeting the other interns in my office (who are now close friends of mine) and being taken on a tour of the Capitol as we looked at each other with excitement about working in Congress.
My internship was definitely the most amazing place to learn and grow, and the staffers were extremely welcoming. I could always tell that they genuinely wanted to see us succeed, and they never hesitated to share their advice and be fully transparent with the other interns and I. I am so happy to say that my internship experience was one that provided me with so much experience for the communications field, along with incredible connections which I now get to use for future opportunities.
Throughout my time in office I worked on a variety of projects such as drafting talking points and speeches for the Congressman, drafting mass e-mails, drafting tweets, creating graphic designs for our Instagram, designing posterboards for speeches, and attending hearings and press conferences to capture photos and video content. Along with communications work, I also helped with legislative duties such as attending hearings and creating memos and sitting in on stakeholder meetings to take notes. Lastly, I helped with administrative work, such as giving staff-led tours of the Capitol building to constituents, taking constituent phone calls, and helping the office staff by being a reliable intern to carry out any unexpected administrative tasks.
All of this work is going to be useful for future prospects, and the overall experience of being in this environment at such an early point in my career fills me with gratitude and eagerness for my future. I am looking forward to sharing these stories for the rest of my life, and I encourage future students to seek opportunities that will bring them growth and wisdom.
Student Blog Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in student blog posts are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Illinois in Washington Program, the University of Illinois, or its staff and affiliates.