Eric Oelrich

Washington D.C. Summer Internship Program Summer 2003

Eric interned at the Office of Communications, which is an office within the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. The Office of Communications is located at 810 7th Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20521.

The primary responsibilities of the Office of Communications include working with Congressional members, committees, and staff on legislation, policies, and issues affecting the Department of Justice, as well as keeping Congress, the criminal justice community, the news media and the public informed.

Part of Eric's responsibilities with the Office of Communication included attending many congressional hearings regarding issues of particular interest to the Justice Department and then drafting summaries of the hearings.  The hearings covered topics ranging from the nominations of Justice Department officials, contentious issues such as international parental abduction, and testimony from high ranking Justice Department officials.

One of the most intriguing issues Eric was involved with was the President's DNA initiative.  The President proposed $232.6 million in federal funding in FY 2004 for his initiative, Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology. The Office of Communication was in charge of the Office of Justice Program's press releases regarding the President's DNA Initiative. Eric developed draft press releases which were used as examples by the public affairs specialists when writing the final press releases which eventually were disseminated to the new media. Eric also worked on the media lists which are used to notify reporters who specialize in Justice Department or DNA issues about topics regarding the initiative.

Eric had many positive experiences while interning which have helped both his personal and career related development. Eric feels the experience of living and working in the political epicenter of the world is one that cannot be replicated. "The positive contributions of the Washington, D.C. internship program to my future are definitely numerous and widespread," Eric noted.