Navigating the Maryland General Assembly Internship: A Comprehensive Guide

The Maryland General Assembly (MGA) offers various internship programs that provide invaluable experiences for students interested in state government, politics, and public policy. These programs cater to both undergraduate and graduate students, offering opportunities to work directly with legislators and professional staff during the annual legislative session. This article provides a detailed overview of the MGA internship programs, their requirements, and the benefits they offer.

Introduction to the Maryland General Assembly Internship Programs

The Maryland General Assembly meets annually for 90 calendar days, beginning on the second Wednesday in January and continuing through early April. These months are when legislative interns are most active. The MGA Legislative Intern Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to work directly in legislative offices during this busy time. For graduate students, the Maryland Legislative Fellows Program provides a similar opportunity, emphasizing policy analysis and research.

Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduate Internships

To be eligible for the Maryland General Assembly Legislative Intern Program, prospective interns must meet specific criteria:

Enrollment: Students must be presently enrolled in a public or independent college or university.
Age: Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
GPA: A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 is required.
Competency: Students must show proof of competency in college composition.
Faculty Sponsor: The Maryland General Assembly Legislative Intern Program requires prospective interns to have a faculty sponsor. At UMBC, Dr. Mileah Kromer is available to sponsor students from any major who are interested in this opportunity.

While many interns are political science majors, students from other disciplines who are interested in learning firsthand about the process of state government are encouraged to apply. Academic credits must be granted to the interns by their colleges and universities.

Eligibility Requirements for Graduate Fellowships

The Maryland Legislative Fellows Program is specifically designed for graduate students. To be eligible, applicants must be:

Enrollment: Presently enrolled in a graduate program at a public or independent college or university within the state of Maryland or the surrounding region. Applicants may be scheduled to graduate in December 2025.

Application Process and Deadlines

The application process for the MGA internship programs typically occurs during the fall semester. Here's a general timeline and key considerations:

Application Deadline: Applications should be received by the MGA Intern Office typically by October 31. The application deadline for the Maryland General Assembly Legislative Intern Program is October 15, 2025.
Rolling Basis: Applications are often accepted on a rolling basis, so students are encouraged to apply early.
Faculty Recommendation: Please note a letter of recommendation from a faculty member is a required part of the application process. The deadline for your portion of the application is Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
UMD GVPT Program: For students at the University of Maryland (UMD) interested in the Spring 2026 GVPT Maryland General Assembly (MGA) Joint Internship Program, there is a two-step application process. Once accepted to the GVPT portion of the program, students will then need to then submit an application to the MGA portion of the program.

Internship Structure and Time Commitment

Legislative Session

The Maryland General Assembly meets annually for a period of 90 calendar days, beginning the second Wednesday in January and continuing through early April. Internships through the MGA Legislative Intern Program typically run for 14 weeks, from mid-January to mid-April.

Work Schedule

Legislative interns must work two to five days per week, with one day falling on either a Wednesday or Thursday for programming. If selected, an intern will establish a regular weekly schedule with their legislative office for the duration of the internship. Interns work a total of twenty hours each week, usually over two and a half days, from early January to early April, through spring break. The usual schedule is all day Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a half day Wednesday. Other schedules are possible, but a M.W.F. schedule is not effective because the legislators go home early on Friday and return late Monday for an evening session. Fellows must work an average of 20 hours per week and establish a regular weekly schedule with their office, with one day falling on a Wednesday or Thursday during session for in-person programming.

Orientation and Training

Interns selected for the MGA Legislative Intern Program must attend a webinar prior to the start of their internship, as well as attend a 2-day in-person orientation in Annapolis. Fellows begin their tenure with focused training to prepare for their assignments during the legislative session.

Financial Aspects: Stipends and Expenses

A stipend is awarded each intern to help defray the costs of participating in the program. The total session stipend varies, depending on the number of days per week the intern works in Annapolis. A stipend is awarded to an MGA Legislative Intern based on their established weekly schedule and is paid in installments. A stipend is awarded to a Maryland Legislative Fellow based on the duration of their fellowship and is paid in installments. It's important to note that transportation to Annapolis is not provided, nor are overnight accommodations. Please note the MGA provides all interns with a travel stipend.

Typical Tasks and Responsibilities

The type of work assigned to interns is mainly legislative, although some duties are clerical in nature. Fellows will generally be involved in legal, fiscal and policy research and analysis, as well as responding to legislative requests and producing publication content. Most interns work with bills, at least collecting, filing, and tracking them. However, what interns do depends on the nature of the intern's placement. The following are additional typical tasks:

Answering phones
Summarizing bills
Attending hearings and other meetings
Lobbying other legislators for support for bills
Responding to constituents
Researching bills or constituent concerns
Maintaining legislator's schedule
Organizing the support for a bill hearing
Testifying before a committee on a bill

The single most important difference in placements depends on the specific needs and character of the legislator's office. Also important are the legislator's committee assignments, legislative interests, the nature of the district and constituents served in the office, the political party of the legislator, the legislator's role in the Assembly.

Academic Credit and Coursework

Academic credits must be granted to the interns by their colleges and universities. At some universities, such as the University of Maryland, students can enroll in specific courses related to the internship. For example, at UMBC, Students must enroll in PLS 276 "Legislative Internship: Practicum" for the spring term. The Maryland General Assembly Program, limited to 19 students, places interns with legislators in Annapolis during the 90 day spring legislative session which begins in early January and ends in early April (six credits of ENGL 388M/HONR 379W). Students are prepared for this internship in the fall in a writing seminar (three credits of ENGL 381/HONR 368A). For UMD GVPT students who are accepted to the program will also earn credit via GVPT377, which will satisfy an upper level GVPT Course of Choice requirement and have the ability to earn an additional 3 elective credits via GVPT376. The internship portion of the course sequence (ENGL388M/HONR379W) conveys six credits. In the preceding fall semester, students will take a three-credit course (ENGL381/HONR368A) which teaches students the skills that the internship will require. ENGL 381 satisfies the Fundamental Studies Professional Writing Requirement for the General Education requirements, and ENGL 388M satisfies one Scholarship in Practice requirement.

Preparatory Writing Seminar

The preparatory writing seminar, ENGL 381/HONR 368A, is designed on an experiential learning and technical/business writing model. The class is designed to rehearse typical intern writing tasks, to develop professional communication skills (oral, written, and collaborative), and to teach legislative processes and issues. Students will be encouraged to take charge of the learning in the seminar through student-led workshops, peer response to drafts, a collaborative research project, and a midterm and final evaluation of their learning. Assignments also include the application for the placement in Annapolis with resume, cover letter, and personal essay; a bill summary and research questions; constituent letters, a press release, a policy analysis (a collaborative research project), and testimony on the project. The writing seminar, ENGL 381/HONR 368A, is a regular class, and you will be graded on your written assignments, group project, class presentation, and participation.

Evaluation

During the internship, you will be evaluated both by your supervisor at the MGA and by the course instructor. Each evaluation will count for half of your grade. As part of the course, you will write several assignments, and these will be graded as writing assignments.

Benefits of Participating in the MGA Internship Program

Participating in the Maryland General Assembly Internship Program offers numerous benefits:

Experiential Learning: Students learn experientially about writing in the workplace, about their own competencies and interests, and about the nature of government, politics, and the making of public policy.
Skill Development: The program helps develop skills that will help graduates secure real-world jobs.
Networking: It enables them to network with legislators and legislative staff.
Professional Growth: Through this program I've grown as a writer, a professional and a citizen of Maryland, and I feel better prepared for a future in any career path.
Real-World Impact: Even as an intern, I felt fully invested in the process; the work I did mattered.
Career Direction: The MGA Internship program helped me find direction for my future. I made connections I could not have made elsewhere and learned about opportunities I never knew existed.

Is the MGA Internship Right for You?

Those who like the program usually:

Like to write
Have an interest in government
Learn experientially
Are adaptable
Work hard and accept responsibility easily

Those who don't like the program usually:

Don't like to write
Have little interest in government
Need total structure to their learning
Cannot deal with the unexpected
Don't like work or responsibility

The John Amara Walters Memorial Internship

To be eligible for the John Amara Walters Memorial Internship, a student must be a resident of Maryland and attend Howard University. This paid internship program honors the life and legacy of John Amara Walters. As a member of the Senatorâs staff, John directed the correspondence program and was a subject matter expert for the Senator on the issues of judicial nominations, criminal justice reform, gun safety, telecommunications and digital inclusion and equity, election security, consumer protection and safety, labor, postal issues, and federal employees.

Senator Chris Van Hollen Internships

Internships in Senator Chris Van Hollen's Capitol Hill, Rockville, and Baltimore offices provide unique educational and professional development opportunities for students. Interns will be paid. To be eligible for a summer internship, you must be a rising college sophomore or older and available to work for the duration of one of the two scheduled summer sessions. Interns are required to work a minimum of 20â24 hours a week, and intern schedules will generally range from 22â26 hours a week. To be eligible for an internship during the fall or spring sessions in the Capitol Hill office, you must be able to work 20â24 hours a week (with a maximum of 26 hours) and be a rising college sophomore or older.

Maryland Legislative Fellows Program

Established in 2020, the Maryland Legislative Fellows Program offers top graduate students in Maryland and the surrounding region a unique opportunity to engage in the policymaking process during the Maryland General Assemblyâs annual legislative session. Held in Annapolis, Fellows work alongside nonpartisan professional staff within committees, caucuses, delegations, and offices within the Department of Legislative Services that support legislative efforts. Additionally, Fellows attend special programming throughout session to further enhance their knowledge and provide a cultivated experience. Applications are considered on a rolling basis by offices, which begin reviewing applications, scheduling interviews, and making selections from September through December. Fellowships through the Maryland Legislative Fellows Program begin as early as October 2025 and as late as January 2026, depending upon the office placement. The type of work assigned to Fellows varies, depending on the specific job assignment. Fellows will generally be involved in legal, fiscal and policy research and analysis, as well as responding to legislative requests and producing publication content.

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