McMahon Spends Summer Interning in U.S. Senate

As a political science major, Morgan McMahon ’25 has tried to learn all she could on the different layers of government. 

After working a summer internship at the Village of Hamilton in 2022, the Hagerstown, Md., native and women’s basketball guard took a mammoth leap in June to the pinnacle of American government — the U.S. Capitol.

For seven weeks, McMahon worked as a legislative intern in the U.S. Senate. For McMahon, the role exposed her to the daily operations of a senator’s office. She worked the front desk and answered calls from constituents. She logged and sorted constituent mail, crafted memos and briefs for staff, attended committee hearings, and gave tours of the Capitol building.

“My internship on the Hill this past summer was nothing short of an amazing experience,” McMahon said. “When we had some downtime, we would go to the House and Senate floors to watch members of Congress debate policy or vote on pieces of legislation.”

The internship was an eye-opening experience for McMahon, who learned something new each day. One function of government that intrigued her was the creation of legislation.

“I found the NDAA markup process especially fascinating, as I was really unfamiliar with how long of a process it is to amend a bill, push it through committee, and then to the floor,” she said.

Another memorable experience for McMahon came when she sat in on meetings where health groups and organizations discussed issues and legislation they wanted lawmakers to consider. It was a valuable lesson for McMahon because health care policy is one of her favorite areas of government.

“I’ve always had an affinity for politics and policy work,” she said. “As a kid I remember watching the presidential primary debates on TV and always revered the women who were courageous enough to get up on the debate stage and stick up for the values they believed would help our country. 

“Politics is a high-stress, high pressure environment that has a lot of moving components and that's what I love about it. Just walking around the Capitol building, you could feel the eagerness.”

McMahon has done all she could to learn the ins and outs of government at different levels. In the summer of 2022, she worked in the office of the Village of Hamilton through Colgate’s Upstate Institution Field School, a program that allows students to work with local community organizations. 

Her courses have also been a rewarding experience. Two of her favorite courses are State and Local Politics and A View From the Mayor’s Desk, which are both taught by former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner. 

“She is one of the most engaging and enthusiastic teachers I’ve had,” she said.

McMahon said her plans for next summer are still up in the air, but she wants to continue to expand her knowledge of politics and work toward enrolling in a law school after she graduates from Colgate. 

“I would love to get involved in politics later in my career, but am aspiring to become a lawyer as well, so I'm focusing on my legal aspirations and law school path for the time being,” she said. “The two often intersect and I can definitely see myself in that position.”