WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the latest episode of her podcast, ‘The Hotdish’ – which is now available on Spotify – on the importance of public service and what it’s like to intern on Capitol Hill in her office.

Heitkamp interviewed two interns – one past intern and one current intern – about their experiences interning in her office. They discussed how internships can help students learn about the impact of public service and the importance of supporting your home state and the families who live there, as well as find out about different career paths.

The Hotdish is available on Spotify, iTunes and Simplecast. Current episodes are also available on Soundcloud.

Heitkamp offers paid internships in her North Dakota and Washington, D.C. office year-round, one of 47 U.S. Senate offices that currently pay interns, according to Roll Call. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a provision to provide additional resources to Senate member offices for paying interns.

In this episode, Heitkamp catches up with former intern Mohy Omer, who served in her Fargo, N.D., and Washington, D.C. offices, and Alexis Young, a current intern in her Washington, D.C. office.

Mohy arrived in Fargo in 2009 as a refugee from Sudan, having fled the war-torn country for his safety. Despite the trauma and obstacles he faced, he quickly learned English, got a degree in political science from North Dakota State University, and focused his life on helping others – from his internships in my offices to his current position at the U.S. Institute for Peace working to solve conflicts back in Sudan.

Alexis, from West Fargo, N.D., is a rising senior at the University of Jamestown studying communications, social media, marketing, and graphic design. Even though she has a full plate of coursework, Alexis finds the time to volunteer for a variety of organizations and causes – from cancer research to the Special Olympics and the Good Will, and also serves as Secretary of the University of Jamestown Student Senate. She is currently an intern in Heitkamp’s Washington, D.C. office.

“I was an intern three times in my college career, so I know a bit about how they can shape careers,” Heitkamp said. “I have so much gratitude for the work my interns do, and I think more young North Dakotans should consider an internship to not only explore politics and public service, but to gain skills and knowledge that will be helpful in whatever career they decide to pursue. I offer paid internships at all of my offices in North Dakota and in Washington, and I hope learning about Mohy’s and Alexis’ experiences will inspire others to apply for internships – whether with me, another elected official, government agency, non-profit, or business. We’re so fortunate to have the next generation of leaders in public service in D.C. and North Dakota working hard and gaining skills through these internships.” 

“You don’t need to love politics to get amazing experience through an internship,” Alexis said. “If you’re willing to work hard, be a leader, and want to get involved in public service and work to give back, then this is the place to do it.” 

“I wanted to be in a place where I could impact policy and positive change – I had big dreams, but they were very general,” Mohy said. “After my internship, I had a clear understand of what area I wanted to focus on in my career. I’m now working in conflict resolution thanks to professional connections I made while interning. This is a great place to chase your dreams.”

About The Hotdish:

Heitkamp kicked off her podcast last February with an episode on her efforts to combat human trafficking, interviewing anti-human trafficking leader Cindy McCain and North Dakota journalist Kevin Wallevand. Since then, Heitkamp’s podcast has covered a wide range of topics, including negotiations for the next Farm Bill, the role of moderates in Congress, U.S.-Russia relations, health care, her bipartisan bill that would promote carbon capture, the role of refugees and immigrants in our communities, the threat posed by North Korea, and tackling the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women, tax reform, an update on her effort to combat human trafficking, and the importance of smart trade policies and NAFTA.

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