Hilltern

A Hilltern is an informal name for interns working in the United States Congress.^{[11] [1]} The word Hilltern is a portmanteau of the words "hill" and "intern." The profile of Hillterns are usually college-age students who come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Almost all Hilltern positions are unpaid. They are to pay the full cost for food, housing, and transportation while receiving no compensation for their contributions.^[12] 

Hillterns commute to work most commonly on the DC Metro Rail or Bus. ^[26] 

The work that Hillterns are assigned to vary; some congressmen can be more demanding than others. What all Hillterns have in common is that they take tourists on personalized tours of the Capitol Building, attend hearings and report briefings to the staff, take phone calls from concerned constituents, and organizing mailings to their district or state.^[3] 

When Hillterns have no obligations to attend to, they can be spotted attending the Congressional Intern Lecture Series^[9] or wandering various museums in Washington, DC. ^[26] 

Paul Ryan's Speaker Selfie caused controversy because of the lack of diversity shown among Hillterns working for the GOP.^{[8] [4]} In response, Representative E.B. Johnson tweeted a selfie of democratic Hillterns.^[5]