Variety is the spice of life and so is working at NCSL!

Diana Jordan ‘22
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Major: B.A. Political Science; B.A.H. Communications; Minor in English
Elections Policy Intern, National Conference of State Legislatures

No two days are ever the same for an intern with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)! My tasks range from writing blog posts to attending seminars to updating important webpages for legislators and the public, and so on. I have helped on projects covering Native American Voting, Candidate Qualifications, Voting System Paper Trails, and Primary Runoffs. In addition, I have started a larger project called Voting is for All Americans: People Experiencing Homelessness, in which I have done extensive research on the impediments to voting that people experiencing homelessness face, as well as on legislation, policies and organizations that may offer solutions. 

Being able to adapt every day to such a wide variety of tasks, being able to stay organized and keep track of the tasks, and being able to communicate with the Elections and Redistricting team effectively are skills that benefit me as I will be able to take them with me into my future jobs. Additionally, by writing blogs and updating or creating new web pages that will stay on their site into the far future, I am benefitting NCSL. I also think that I benefit NCSL by showcasing their blog posts and the web pages I have worked on to my friends and family, as well as spreading the word about what a great organization and time I am having as an intern. 

In general, myself and NCSL as an organization benefit not only the American West, but the United States as a whole. It is in their name, National Conference of State Legislatures. We provide facts and information to any state across the country, as well as promote the operations and management of state legislatures and the effectiveness of legislators and legislative staff. The work, in turn, helps the American West’s legislatures and public.

Overall, being at NCSL has been super beneficial since it provides me skills for my future career and has given me vital connections with people who are in the fields I am interested in--I plan on getting my doctorate in Political Science or Communication in the future. I recommend that anyone interested in elections or redistricting try their hand at interning for NCSL!

Read more at the Out West Student Blog »