Córdova Congressional Internship Program

The Córdova/Fernós Congressional Internship Program is a publicly funded internship program created in 1993 through legislation authored by then Puerto Rico senator and current Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock and signed into law by Gov. Pedro Rosselló. Administered by a joint committee of the Puerto Rico Legislature and run by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC), the program provides the opportunity every year for 40 college students to experience a semester-long internship in an assigned congressional office of either chamber, in the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, or at Telemundo or Univision. By law, placement preference is given to the offices of Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner, currently Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR), and of congressmen of Puerto Rican heritage, including Reps. José Serrano (D-NY), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Raúl Labrador (R-ID).[1]

Originally named in honor of former Resident Commissioners Félix Córdova Dávila, who served from 1917 to 1932, and his son, Jorge Luis Córdova-Díaz, who served from 1969 to 1972, the program was renamed as "Córdova/Fernós" to also honor former Resident Commissioner Antonio Fernós Isern. Both Córdovas also served as Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico while Fernós presided Puerto Rico's Constitutional Convention from 1951 to 1952.

By 2012, over 670 students from colleges and universities in Puerto Rico had enjoyed internships under the program, and the Spring 2009 class included a record 24 members.

A private sector committee, recently headed by Univision Puerto Rico president Larry Sands, provides private funds to supplement the $350,000 annual grant provided by the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly.

Under the auspices of TWC, seventeen states have since established similar legislative-funded Congressional internship programs. The Center established in 2008 the McClintock Award to the State Legislator of the Year, honoring Córdova Program founder Kenneth McClintock, who received the first annual award on December 17, 2008, days before the end of his 28-year legislative career, sixteen as a senator, and the beginning of his service as the U.S. territory's Secretary of State.