Returning from their 2023/24 Congressional Internship Programme, the NZUS Council recently hosted the four successful interns to share their experiences at Capitol Hill.
A Business Commerce student from the University of Auckland, Helen Lam was placed in the Office for U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn.
“At the start of my internship I was asked what area of focus I had a particular interest in, and my interests aligned toward more of the technological and broadband hemisphere, so I got to do a lot of research around access to broadband which is a massive issue in South Carolina,” Helen said.
She said she was able to “do a lot of research around the BEAD Act in America, and they really steered my interest towards some of the ongoing court hearings around access to broadband in America,” as well as “a really interesting piece of research around censorship in America and the balance between the constitution and censorship around large media companies.”
The internship programme aims to foster the engagement of future generations in the trans-Pacific relationship between the United States and New Zealand, ensuring the strength of the bilateral relationship.