Internships

Finding an internship:

Do your homework before you contact an individual, agency, or organization about a possible internship. You can learn more about an organization by accessing the internet or by making a trip to the library. By doing a little homework, you can secure an internship that meets both your career and educational goals. Students who are participating in UNPAID internships are strongly encouraged to apply for the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Internship Grant. Applications may be downloaded from the Career and Community Learning Center's web site.

Receiving academic credit:

Students who participate in political internships can earn academic credit. Although credit is not given for the internship experience itself, students can arrange to receive credit by keeping daily journals, conducting informational interviews, and writing short essays and research papers. Once you have secured an internship, contact Professor Paul Soper, Internship Director for the Department of Political Science, about earning credit for the internship experience.

Current Internship Postings

• Presidential Campaign Internship Opportunity. Posted February 2. A 2008 Republican presidential campaign is looking for interns to work in the communications department.  Major responsibilities will include media monitoring, research, and writing. Those who are accepted will gain experience in the highest level of politics and an understanding of how a national presidential campaign is operated. Writing and research experience is a plus.  For those interested, please send your resume and a writing sample to gopcampaign@gmail.com .  

• SCA Conservation Internships. Posted January 31. Save the date! I will be visiting the University of Minnesota on the following dates: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, February 19, 20, 21.  During my visit, I will share information about SCA, and the thousands of expense-paid conservation internships available in over fifty different academic disciplines. If you would like to arrange a time for me to meet with you please contact me at sca_visit@thesca.org. 
  To learn more about SCA and our internship opportunities please visit our website at www.theSCA.org. Best Wishes,
  Beth McCarthy, Great Lakes Recruiting Representative, Student Conservation Association, 689 River Road, PO Box 550, Charlestown, NH 03603-0550, 603-543-1700 ext. 402, Fax: 603-543-1828.

• Minnesota State Senate Internship Opportunity.  Posted January 23.  The Minnesota State Senate seeks two interns to work for Republican Senators this semester.  Please contact Scott Magnuson at the Senate Information office, (651) 296-7198, for more information.

• The Office of Congresswoman Betty McCollum. Posted January 12. Internship Job Description: Sumer/Fall 2007. Application Deadlines: April 15, 2007. We are seeking energetic and proficient interns in the St. Paul office of Congresswoman Betty McCollum. An internship in Congresswoman McCollum's office will provide valuable experience to students as they prepare for their professional careers. Interns have the opportunity to work with and assist all members of the staff, including legislative, administrative, outreach and press duties. Interns will also have the opportunity to attend some local functions and meetings related to the Congresswoman's work in the district. In addition, we are happy to work with your college or university to arrange for academic credit. Applicants should be highly motivated and enthusiastic, as there are far more applicants than available positions. Responsibilities Include: * Supporting administrative staff: answering phones, database entry, and sorting mail. Various projects as assigned. St. Paul office: Assisting casework staff in helping constituents resolve problems and navigate federal bureaucracies. Compiling local news clips and distributing to district and DC office staff. Promoting constituent outreach efforts by communicating with constituents and constituent groups, attending meetings and events, and drafting correspondence. Preferred Qualifications: Excellent written and oral communications skills. College juniors or seniors preferred (but not required.) Positive attitude and an ability to effectively handle a number of tasks at once. Strong connections to Minnesota . Hours and compensation: Internships are available year-round. They are available on a part-time or full-time basis. In some cases, a stipend may be available. Transportation and housing are the responsibility of interns. Application process: Applicants should send a cover letter (indicating availability and the location of their desired internship), a resume and references. Those interested in a St. Paul internship should fax materials to (651) 224-3056 or send to: Office of Congresswoman Betty McCollum; Attn: St. Paul Internship Coordinator; 165 Western Avenue North, Suite 17 ; St. Paul , MN 55102 .

• Internships for Senator Norm Coleman. Posted January 12.

See http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.Internships for a complete description and application for the Senator's internship program.

Internship Guidebook

Search the following web sites for additional internship opportunities that match your academic and career interests:

(The information for the "Internship Guidebook" section was obtained from the various web sites of the agencies, organizations, and individuals listed in each section.)