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Hinsdale student interns in Durbin’s Washington office
Updated: May 5, 2013 6:01AM
Hinsdale resident Joshua Lapidus will spend 17 weeks this spring interning for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, working behind the scenes in the senator’s Capitol Hill office.
Each year, close to 50 interns work in the Ilinois Democrats Washington office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties and lead Capitol tours for visiting Illinois residents. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inner-workings of the federal government and develop valuable research skills.
“Forty-five years ago, I started my career on Capitol Hill as a college intern for Sen. Paul Douglas,” Durbin said. “It was one of the most exciting things I had ever done.”
Born in Evanston, Lapidus moved to Florida as a child but soon returned to Illinois. He attended middle school and high school in Hinsdale. After graduating from Hinsdale South High School, he moved to Washington, D.C. to study international politics at American University. He will graduate this May, having taken time off for a variety of career opportunities, including working as a legislative director in the Maryland General Assembly and interning with the U.S. Department of State.
The internship program is designed to provide interns with experience in the core functions of a Senate office and allow them to gain a better understanding of the federal legislative process. Their responsibilities include assisting full-time staff in responding to various constituent requests, assisting with information inquiries, attending committee and agency hearings and briefings, researching legislative issues and policy questions, observing floor proceedings, and attending meetings related to specific legislation.
