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Political Science Department

Internships

The Department of Political Science was a pioneer in establishing internships at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ and works closely with the Office of Career Services and with the Alumni Affairs Office to expand opportunities for students.Internships give you practical skills and work experience that enhance your classroom learning. Our students have interned with elected officials at the national, state, and local levels, a host of lobbying, nonprofit, and public entities, and private law firms and consultants.

An exhaustive list of American, international, political theory, New York state and local internships as well as funding opportunities is available on Professor Turner's website. You can also contact Professor Turner, the internship coordinator in the Political Science Department. In addition, the Career Services office (Starbuck Center) maintains an electronic library of internships. You can register for and access these listings through any computer connected to the main system (skidmore.edu/administration/career) or through a visit to Career Services. Many students, on the other hand, locate their own internship sponsor through faculty advisors, family members, or alumni contacts or simply by approaching an organization or office directly.

Students may also apply for the Levine Internship Awards in American Government, Politics, and Law. These internship awards honor the memory of Erwin L. Levine, who was a ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ Government Department professor of American politics and law from 1961 until his retirement in 1988. The awards are offered on a competitive basis to students interning in the fields of American government and politics. ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ students from any major or minor may apply. The summer award is a cash stipend up to $4,500. Click here to download the Levine Internship Award Application. There are also two full-semester internship programs and a summer program.

  • The Washington Semester Program
    Each year several juniors or seniors are selected to attend a one-semester program in Washington, D.C., where they attend seminars and classes at American University, hold internships at various congressional and agency offices, complete a major independent project, and receive academic credit for a full semester of courses. Interested students should contact the Office of Off-Campus Study and Exchange.
  • New York State Assembly and Senate Internships
    The New York State Legislature offers students a chance to participate in state government and the legislative process by interning at the State Capitol. Students have the opportunity to get involved in state government and gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process. Interns work a minimum of 30 hours for Assembly and Senate members doing research and other tasks in the members' offices. Interns also take a class on New York politics and the legislative process. Also, interns receive a stipend ($4,120 in Spring 2009) for participating in the internship. The internship is only available in the spring semester, and the deadline is October 31. Interested students should contact Professor Turner.
  • State of New York Executive Chamber Internship Program
    This program offers an outstanding opportunity for motivated college juniors, seniors, and new (or recent) graduates to gain real-world government experience working closely with the governor's staff. The deadline for applying for the summer program is April 1. .

Additional Internship Opportunities:

click here to see Prof. Bob Turner's website

Name Description / Deadline Location Eligibility Amount
A variety of D.C.-based grants and fellowships to study a variety of subjects; focus on American politics. See website for deadline. International and U.S. Undergrads Varies
Brookings is one of the oldest and most prominent research organizations, offering fellowships and internships in a variety of different fields depending on availability. See website for deadline. U.S. Undergrads Depends upon program
The Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program combines a paid public policy internship with two career-skills seminars and weekly policy lectures. There are two policy tracks: State Policy and Federal Policy. Late January deadline. U.S. Undergraduates entering their junior or senior year; graduate students, law students and recent graduates. $1,500 stipend plus housing assistance
The Department of Energy Scholars Program offers summer internships with stipends of up to $650 per week depending on academic status to undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates at accredited institutes of higher education. January 31 deadline. U.S. citizenship required Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates Stipends of up to $650 per week
The Department of Energy Scholars Program offers summer internships with stipends of up to $650 per week depending on academic status to undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates at accredited institutes of higher education. January 31 deadline. U.S. citizenship required Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates Stipends of up to $650 per week
The Department of Energy Scholars Program offers summer internships with stipends of up to $650 per week depending on academic status to undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates at accredited institutes of higher education. January 31 deadline. U.S. citizenship required Undergraduates, graduate students, and post-graduates Stipends of up to $650 per week
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank dedicated to the study of migration worldwide. Internships offered to undergrads are in the fields of research and editorial and communications. See website for deadline. U.S. Undergrads Stipends
The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights (CHR) implements the vision of RFK by promoting the full spectrum of human rights both in the United States and throughout the world. See website for deadline. Washington D.C. Undergrads See website
Incumbents will conduct literature reviews, analyses, and programming tasks, as well as participate in reporting research findings and presenting data. See website for deadline. U.S. Undergrads See website