When people call the Texas legislative offices about anything from general questions to complaints about state laws, there is a strong chance a University student intern will answer the phone. 

Since the 89th Legislative Session started in January, many students have spent the past month gaining hands-on experience through talking to constituents, hosting public forums and bringing notes onto the floors of the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate. 

One of these interns is economics and government freshman Eric Draeger, who interns for state Sen. José Menéndez. He said he’s learned a lot about hospitality through the Capitol’s environment. 

“Having that simple respect to another human being, despite not having the same political beliefs, is something that I truly value,” Draeger said. “When you meet someone, the first thing you’re going to talk about is (not always) politics. … Those first impressions can really make a conversation go from a controversial one to one that simply (is) like having a conversation between two friends.” 

Government freshman Sam Mainali said his experience in state Sen. Donna Campbell’s office has been different from other offices in the Capitol because of its “learn-as-you-go” environment. 

“We try on our own and if we have questions, we ask senior (staff),” Mainali said. “There’s really no formal training, you just learn on the job.” 

Josh Bober, a mechanical engineering and Plan II honors freshman, is interning for PowerHouse Texas, a sister organization of the Texas Energy and Climate 

Caucus. He said he helps write newsletters and host public forums for the organization. He said learning how the organization educates policymakers will help him promote policies important to climate activism in his future career. 

“Texas is massive, and its state government acts almost like a federal one in some respects,” Bober said. “Getting the chance to work within this organism of legislative action is very cool and it’s a priceless opportunity.” 

Government junior Hailey Toten, who is interning for state Rep. Philip Cortez, said she appreciates the friendly behavior of elected officials. 

“You’ll end up standing in the elevator and realize all the other people in the elevator are actually representatives,” Toten said. “Everybody you run into in the Capitol wants to strike up some sort of conversation with you or make an off-handed joke. … (It’s) definitely (an) inviting (environment) to the interns.”

Business honors freshman Emma Corbell said her internship workload is currently light and will pick up as representatives begin voting on bills in March. Corbell, who interns for state Rep. Cecil Bell Jr., said she currently works with constituents and lobbyists. Once committees are assigned, she said she will research policy areas and draft one-pager summaries to inform her representative’s vote. 

Corbell said one of her most memorable moments at her internship occurred when she noticed a group of rattlesnakes lounging on the tiled floor of the Capitol’s mini-rotunda.

“The scheduler for my office was in the hallway, and I’m like, ‘Oh, what are you doing?’” Corbell said. “I had just come down the elevator, and he’s like, ‘Come outside, there’s rattlesnakes.’” 

Corbell said she has always been passionate about government at both the state and national level. 

“I’m excited about policy,” Corbell said. “Going to UT and being right next to the state Capitol (is) a (great) way to get involved. during the legislative session.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled Bober’s name. This has been corrected. The Texan regrets this error.