John Amara Walters Memorial Internship

This paid internship program honors the life and legacy of John Amara Walters. John was a dedicated and beloved member of the staff of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.  John died at the age of 29 from complications of sickle cell disease on October 2, 2021.

John graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in 2015 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Political Science. While a student at Howard, John served as an intern for then-Congressman Van Hollen. He joined the staff in the House of Representatives following his graduation and moved to the Senate following the Senator’s swearing-in on January 3, 2017. 

As a member of the Senator’s staff, John directed the correspondence program and was a subject matter expert for the Senator on the issues of judicial nominations, criminal justice reform, gun safety, telecommunications and digital inclusion and equity, election security, consumer protection and safety, labor, postal issues, and federal employees. He was a devoted member of our office family who was always eager to serve and willing to give.

John passed away on October 2, 2021 in his mother’s arms at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. He lived every moment to the fullest  – and though his life on this earth was short in years, it was long in the empathy, in the joy, and in the love he shared with all of us. Through this internship, we honor John’s life and his commitment to public service. 

To be eligible for the John Amara Walters Memorial Internship, a student must be a resident of Maryland and attend Howard University. Students must be able to work a minimum of 20 hours/week in the Senator’s Capitol Hill or state offices.