Brainerd native interns with congressman

It was the dream summer job for pretty much any political junky.

So when Myles Hotzler was picked to be an intern at the Washington D.C. office of Congressman Rick Nolan, D-Minn., he jumped at it.

It all started last year when 21-year-old Hotzler was attending Central Lakes College in Brainerd, his hometown.

He saw fliers around campus asking for students to apply to be an intern, so Hotzler submitted an application and resume.

"There's only one chance in life for something like this, and I'm a supporter of him," Hotzler said.

Hotzler stayed hopeful as he waited to hear back from the congressman's office. Finally in March, he found out he was one of a handful selected.

A couple of days before the June 8 start date, Hotzler packed up his car and set out on the multistate solo journey.

"It was 20 hours of driving, so it was a lot of mind wandering, and the excitement really built up by the time I got there," he said. "I couldn't sleep that night."

Finally, the big day came.

And it's a good thing Hotzler arrived a couple hours early at the capitol, as he spent quite a while trying to find his way to the office.

Hotzler and the other interns were charged with legislative research, running errands, giving tours of the building to constituents and answering phones.

The researching was Hotzler's favorite part. If a bill was coming up, he'd help research the topic to get more details, and then write a memo on his findings.

"I really got to know how the different bills are created and got a better understanding of the issue itself," he said.

He added, "It was a lot of pressure, though. You can't present the wrong information to the congressman."

Hotzler got to see Nolan often when he popped into the office.

"He's very down to earth," he said. "He acknowledged all the interns and the staff."

The hardest part of the internship? Finding the way around the capitol, Hotzler said.

"The first tour I gave, we almost got lost," he said with a laugh.

Everyone made it back safe, though.

Looking back, Hotzler said his two-month internship taught him a lot about the legislative process and the importance of what is done there.

"I'm now better able to form my own opinion on things instead of just hearing it in the news," he said.

He added, "It definitely got me more prepared for the real world and what I want to do after school."

Hotzler is currently living in Grand Forks where he'll start school again soon.

He's majoring in political science and history.

Hotzler isn't sure what he'll do for a career yet, but he definitely wants to stay in politics. The internship made that clear.