Category: Student Blog Post

Piper Pascarella interned with CNN’s Inside Politics Sunday team in Washington, D.C., where she worked in a fast-paced newsroom covering major national and international breaking news. The experience strengthened her reporting skills and reinforced her passion for political journalism as she prepares to complete her senior year at the University of Illinois.

This summer, I’ve had the absolute honor of being that one.

I sent in my application with absolutely no expectations of hearing back. The portal opened just days after I received a crushing rejection from NBC in Chicago. I was so sure I had it in the bag, and then it was a no, and I. Was. Devastated.

If NBC in Chicago was out of reach, where the biggest competitors were the Medill students at Northwestern, surely CNN in DC was out of reach, too, where now I’m against every single Ivy, Mizzou, Arizona, International students, and now, also the top political students, not just the journalism majors. The Political unit received thousands and thousands of applicants. In my mind, there was no way I’d come out on top.

I’ve always been someone who struggles with impostor syndrome. I’ve had many successes in my time at the University of Illinois, but most of them I’ve received under the impression that someone, somewhere, made a terrible mistake and I needed to work harder than everyone else there to stay afloat and earn the spot I had already been given. Like a pig in makeup, I felt like I had done a really good job of convincing people I was a good journalist.

Every round of the application and interview process, I turned in my submissions, almost laughing to myself, thinking, “whatever, not like it’s gonna happen anyway.” When I finally heard from my now-supervisor, I freaked out. Firstly, because I’d missed the email for several days because I had been out reporting with no service in a west african chimpanzee sanctuary. But secondly, I couldn’t believe I heard back in general. I responded, apologized profusely for my silence, and begged to speak again the next week when I wouldn’t need to climb to the top of a cell tower to have any internet connection. Thank God my supervisor, Ben Gittleson, was nice enough to let me do it.

Then, Warner Bros. Discovery called me back and told me I got the job. It took some time for it to finally set in, but I quickly snapped into reality when the headlines started pouring in at a rate I had never expected.

My running joke with the team is that I’m a newsroom bad luck charm. The second I started, it was nonstop breaking news. And every week someone would reassure me, “I promise you, it’s not usually this crazy.” Then it would only get crazier.

It is unbelievable to me that I now live in a world where Donald J. Trump single-handedly causes me to work late the morning of my 21st birthday. Where I overhear my roommates trying to make brunch plans saying, “Yeah, Piper will probably be off around 9:30…Unless we go to war with Iran. Then she’ll be off by like 12:30”

But, somehow, that has been my life for the past 10 weeks!

I’m so grateful for what I’ve learned at my time here at CNN. I only have a few weeks left before starting my senior year at UIUC, and I am proud to leave here with such an incredible experience. Ready to finish strong!

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.

Spencer Meyers interned in Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office, where he supported constituent communications, legislative research, and administrative operations. Through tasks ranging from logging legislative opinions and assisting with casework to drafting policy memos and attending hearings, he gained firsthand insight into how congressional offices serve the public and develop policy.

Interning in Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office gave me a front-row seat to how Congress operates and the many moving parts that make constituent service possible. One of my core responsibilities was managing constituent communications, answering phones, logging legislative opinions, and assisting with casework involving federal agencies. Every call was recorded in the office’s internal system to ensure the Senator and staff had a clear picture of public concerns. That process taught me how essential responsiveness and accurate record-keeping are for building trust between elected officials and the people they represent. It also reinforced something I saw every day: civic engagement isn’t passive, people want their voices heard, and congressional offices are the bridge that makes that happen.

Beyond constituent services, I supported both the Energy and Environmental legislative team and the administrative staff. On the legislative side, I helped draft vote recommendations and co-sign memos, and I attended hearings on energy and environmental policy, experiences that gave me insight into the research and strategy behind policy decisions. On the administrative side, I handled tasks like organizing technology, troubleshooting computer issues, and managing office supplies. At first these duties seemed small, but I quickly realized they were essential for keeping the office running smoothly. Every legislative success depends on a well-supported team, and contributing to that stability was a meaningful part of my role.

One of the highlights of my internship was researching and writing a policy memo on single-subject legislation and presenting it to staff. My memo explored whether principles like the Byrd Rule could be expanded to prevent unrelated riders in legislation and improve transparency. This project sharpened my research, writing, and presentation skills while letting me engage with an important question about legislative reform. I also assisted with constituent visits, escorting guests to the House gallery and the Capitol Visitor Center, an experience that connected me directly with people excited to see democracy in action.

Altogether, these responsibilities, whether answering calls, drafting memos, or troubleshooting tech, taught me that every task in a congressional office contributes to the broader mission of serving the public. This internship strengthened my commitment to public service and gave me a deeper understanding of both the challenges and the rewards of legislative work.

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.