DODO partners with Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, as part of Flinders University's Washington Internship Program, which enables Australian undergraduate students to intern in the U.S. Congress and Washington, D.C.-based think tanks, media outlets, and nonprofits. DODO provides local support and advice, organizes tours and extracurricular activities, and other services to ensure visiting students get the full U.S. internship experience.
In this post, Evie Beven, who is interning with Representative Vicente Gonzalez, Jr. (TX-34), in the winter of 2026, reflects on her experiences on the Hill so far and provides advice for future interns. Cross posted on Flinders University's website.
A saying I now believe wholeheartedly, but also now know this includes Texan offices in DC, and even Congress itself.
As I pass the half-way point in my internship with Congressman Vicente Gonlazlez’s office, I feel privileged to be able to look back at my time and be amazed at the number of opportunities I have already had.
Upon my arrival, I was immediately struck by the sheer scale of Congress. It was bigger and more complex than I had imagined, not just in physical size but in the scope of each office’s work. I was especially surprised to see how active our office was across a wide range of policy areas, despite representing what might seem like an unassuming district in southern Texas.
Because of this, I’ve had the privilege to attend briefings on issues I never imagined would be discussed, in rooms that I could never have dreamed I would be sitting in. Some briefings focus on sweeping geopolitical questions, such as “What happens if the U.S. invades Greenland?” or “What happens next with Venezuela?” On other days, I have worked on highly specific local matters, including researching the New World screwworm infestation in Mexico and attending briefings to help draft a letter to constituents about its potential impact in Texas.
This wide range of discussions extends beyond office hours, where after-work events offer a window into how people, conversations, and relationships shape the operations of Capitol Hill. Every night there was something to do, whether it was an event by Sony Entertainment where we could spend hours playing their newest video game, a showcase of the latest breakthroughs in healthcare technologies, or accidently stumbling into a Q&A with Noble Prize winner and former president of Poland, Lech Wałęsa. The events were often the first step in the creation of policy. Staff get to see the real work being done in industry, which can then spark policy ideas. Ultimately, it showed me how far a friendly conversation could go in making legislative change.
This internship also showed me what democratic participation in action really looks like. On a Friday morning, after a contentious funding vote, we arrived in the office to over 250 voicemails that had come in overnight. Throughout the rest of the day, it was all hands-on-deck to answer every call that came in, and there were a lot. Americans from both within the district and around the country were calling us to express their thoughts.
That day was hard for everyone, but for me it was also a powerful insight into both American democracy and the heart and character of the people engaging with it.
As an outsider, it can be easy to reduce the U.S. to the negative headlines, but what I heard that day were people deeply invested in their communities and who were determined to mend the fractures they see around them. And that is what democracy is, it is people taking action: contacting their elected officials in times of uncertainty and making their views heard. So, whilst American democracy may be under threat, it is certainly still alive and is persevering through the dedication and will of the American people.
My advice to future interns is to keep your mind open. We carry so many assumptions about the U.S., politically and socially, that I have found myself surprised every day. This experience has been an incredible opportunity to learn about both American and Texan culture, from discovering what true BBQ is, to still not quite grasping the Super Bowl hype, and realizing just how popular our Married at First Sight is in the U.S. By approaching everyday with curiosity and enthusiasm, I not only deepened my understanding of American democracy and culture but also made meaningful friendships, making this internship far more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.