An Evanston resident will spend 16 weeks on Capitol Hill as one of almost 50 student interns for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

Kyle Enochs, a 2010 Evanston Township High School graduate, will handle constituent requests, assist with legislative duties and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents during his time in the Washington, D.C., office.

“I am awed by the opportunity to work in the U.S. Capitol,” said Enochs, a political science major at American University, in a news release issued Wednesday. “No matter what I’m doing here – whether I am researching education policy, answering constituent phone calls or just filing papers – the experience is worth it.”

The internship program allows participants to gain knowledge of the federal legislative process and the operations of a U.S. Senate office, according to the news release. Students also attend committee and agency hearings, view floor proceedings and research legislative issues.

Durbin, who interned for former U.S. Sen. Paul Douglas (D-Ill.) in college, noted the impact of the program in the news release.

“It was one of the most exciting things I had ever done; a student from East St. Louis, Illinois, was going to work in the office of a U.S. Senator,” Durbin said in the news release. “I know what a valuable experience it can be, and we strive to make sure all of our students get a glimpse into the workings of the United States Senate.”

– Kimberly Railey