By Jean-Michel Valat De Córdova
Elm Staff Writer
The seven Washington College students who interned at the Maryland State Senate and State House of Delegates as part of a collaboration between the College’s Political Science Department and the state legislature are coming to the end of their internships after the 2026 session ended on April 13.
The internship program matches Maryland college students to various offices of state legislators, and student interns work for the full 90 day session, travelling to Annapolis from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. twice a week. At WC, interns also take a class led by Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Sarah Brown to learn about state government structures and components like advocacy and working with constituents.
The WC students who participated in the program include seniors Francesco Bertolini, Ellie Cardillo, Vince Conte, Paul Hazlehurst, and juniors Gina Phillips, Charlotte Shurman, and Zach Tipton.
The State Senate and State House of Delegates are the two chambers of the legislative branch of Maryland’s state government.
Because state senators and congresspeople make decisions about hiring interns, official candidates for the internship will often interview more than once for
positions in various offices. WC helps prepare students by providing them support in contacting delegates and offices students are most interested in working for.
Senior Paul Hazlehurst interned for Delegate LaToya Nkongolo, a Republican who represents District 31. As a student athlete, Hazlehurst said that the internship was “very feasible” with his schedule.
Despite having different political views from the delegate he interned under, Hazlehurst said political divergences are not a barrier to productive relationships in Annapolis. Hazlehurst also said that the congresspeople “expect you to mess up” and are forgiving of mistakes, and that the people he met were welcoming and kind.
Hazlehurst also said incoming interns should know that their “first option is probably not going to pan out” but that any pairing is an opportunity to learn.
Hazlehurst said he wants to attend law school after graduation, and the General Assembly internship opened up connections and helped him develop his professional goals.
“It’s you, as a person, and your autonomy to make decisions for the office” Hazlehurst said in regard to the self-directed nature of the internship that made him feel trusted the same as any office staff member.
Senior Ellie Cardillo, a double-major in sociology and Spanish, interned for Senator Shelly Hettleman. Cardillo said she enjoyed learning about the various local aspects of state politics.
Of her own experience, Cardillo said one of her most memorable opportunities was writing and delivering testimony on behalf of her Senator. A memorable moment on the floor for Cardillo was hearing testimony in regard to an immigration enforcement bill that sought to require ICE agents to show rather than mask their faces when patrolling cities. Cardillo also learned about why legislators sometimes testify against bills they know they cannot stop, noting that it is to tell constituents that they tried to resist a bill.
Of the program generally, Cardillo said she enjoyed the fact that the College provides van transportation for student interns, who are able to get to know one another through carpooling to Annapolis each week.
Junior Gina Phillips, a political science major, who worked for Delegate Stephen Arentz representing District 36, which includes Kent County, said that people who want to do the General Assembly internship should research the committees their members sit on and familiarize themselves with the office they work for.
“It was cool to see the constituent aspect of [the internship],” Phillips said, which she finds more engaging than the research side.
Phillips said she particularly enjoyed working with constituents and doing research on raising the cap for how much one can make off of selling cottage food like sourdough in Maryland.
Phillips also said that the internship helped her figure out that she does not want to work in legislation, and that she is “just not a sit at your desk and do research type of person,” which is a large part of the internship and of being a congressional staffer on the state or federal level.
Phillips said future interns should “manage their time well,” and reiterated that “it’s doable” for student athletes who are involved in other activities on campus.
The internship program will run again next spring, and interested students can talk to Dr. Brown in the fall about requirements, grade minimums, expectations, and other logistics before applying.
Photo caption: Washington College students who participated in the Maryland General Assembly internship this spring, from left: Francesco Bertolini, Zach Tipton, Paul Hazlehurst, Ellie Cardillo, Vince Conte, Gina Phillips, and Charlotte Shurman.
Photo courtesy of Zach Tipton