GVPT Undergraduate Newsletter

4. Internship Opportunity with Congressman Steny Hoyer*New*
5. Internship Opportunity with the the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT)*New*

1. Internship Opportunity with Congressman Paul Tonko

The Office of Congressman Tonko is seeking qualified interns for the Fall 2009 semester. Openings are available in his district offices in NY (Albany and Schenectady) and in Washington D.C.

Responsibilities: Interns will be expected to make and keep commitments to work agreed-upon part-time or full-time schedules, depending on their academic schedules. Duties will include a range of office work and will provide interns an opportunity to become familiar with the inner workings of a Congressional office.

Qualifications: Applicants should be enthusiastic, and hard-working with strong writing and communications skills. New York ties are preferable but not required.

Application Process: Candidates interested in working in the Washington D.C. office should email their resume and cover letter to michael.lehman@mail.house.gov. Candidates interested in working in the NY district offices should email their resume and cover letter to sean.shortell@mail.house.gov.

2. Internship Opportunity with Senator Gillibrand

Senator Gillibrand seeks highly motivated students with an interest in public service enrolled in or recently graduated from high schools, colleges or universities to intern in her D.C. office for the Fall 2009 semester. Students from New York State or enrolled in a New York school are strongly encouraged to apply. The office requires a minimum of 15 hours of work per week between the hours of 9-6pm, Monday through Friday.

The application and contact information may be found on Senator Gillibrand’s website at http://gillibrand.senate.gov/.

All applications must be faxed or emailed to the attention of the Intern Coordinator at 202-228-0282 or gillibrand_internship@gillibrand.senate.gov. Please direct all questions to the Intern Coordinator at 202-224-4451.

3. Suicide Terrorism Database Project seeking Research Assistants

Students seeking to attend graduate school and those interested in modern intergroup conflicts and the use of violence therein are encouraged to join Kristen Klein's graduate team as a research assistant for the summer 2009 and/or the 2009-2010 academic year. Students will have the opportunity to read through the project's database on suicide attacks in many of the major ethnic, political, and religious conflicts in the modern world, including: Palestine&Israel, Sri Lanka&the Tamil Tigers, Iraq&America, Chechnya&Russia. Assistants will gain knowledge of the individual and organizational accounts of these attacks and attackers, will gain experience in using primary and secondary source materials to verify critical information, and will learn much about the human causes and consequences of suicide terrorism in intergroup conflicts.

Qualifications: Students must be responsible and self-motivated. Fluency in languages involved in these conflicts (Arabic, Hebrew, Tamil, etc.) is a plus, but neither required nor necessary.

Duties: Students will comb through the database for specific types of information about the attacks and the attackers.

If you are interested, please contact Kristen Klein at kleinkm@umd.edu.

4. Internship Opportunity with Congressman Steny Hoyer

Congressman Hoyer is seeking interns for the Spring of 2010. Interns will work in a fast-paced Congressional office, gaining valuable experience and knowledge of the United States Congress. Unique opportunity to learn the particular role and responsibilities of the U.S. House Majority Leader in Congress. Interns will gain practical experience while assisting personal office staff, and have the opportunity to acquire a working knowledge of the day-to-day operations of the Legislative branch.

Responsibilities: Include greeting constituents, handling constituent phone calls, assisting staff with administrative tasks, conducting legislative research, and assisting with correspondence. Also, attending Capitol Hill briefings, congressional hearings, receptions, and press events.

Qualifications: Interns must be sharp, have good inter-personal skills, and excellent written and oral communication skills. Successful interns will be able to find information with little assistance, be observant and self-aware, require minimal supervision, and be able to both work independently and coordinate with others as necessary. Applicants should have working knowledge of current events and policy topics, as well as a willingness to do mundane tasks as needed, as well as have an interest in public service or government. Strong attention to detail and instructions a must. Maryland residency a plus.

Requirements: College-level students or recent college graduates. Ability to commit at least two full days a week, 9-6pm from January to May. Proficiency in MS Office.

Application Process: Send resume and cover letter to hoyer.internships@mail.house.gov.

5. Internship Opportunity with ASIRT

ASIRT is looking for interns for the Fall/Spring semesters 2009/2010. ASIRT is a non-profit, humanitarian organization that promotes road safety through education and advocacy. Founded fifteen years ago by schoolteacher Rochelle Sobel after her son died in a bus crash in Turkey, ASIRT maintains continuous, active relationships with communities and governments around the world for the purpose of advancing road safety everywhere.

ASIRT is located off the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County and interns can arrange their schedules according to their own flexibility. Those interested should contact ASIRT at (301) 983-5252 or asirt@asirt.org.

6. United Jewish Communities DC office seeking Fall Interns

The national office of one of the premier American Jewish organizations is seeking Fall interns who are looking to combine their interests in Jewish communal work and national politics. United Jewish Communities Washington is the legislative arm of United Jewish Communities/Jewish Federations of North America (UJC), bringing the voice of 157 Jewish community federations and 400 independent Jewish communities throughout North America to Capitol Hill as a prominent force in health and human service policy decision making. UJC’s legislative agenda is focused on bolstering baby boomer retirement policy, protecting Medicaid’s mission and funding, safeguarding non-profits from terrorism, and creating new alternatives for long-term elder care.

UJC interns will have the unique and unparalleled opportunity of exposure to a wide range of national public policy issues. Through this internship, interns will learn innovative approaches that stimulate community interest by organizing and informing local grassroots networks of Jewish federations. Interns will have the unique opportunity to attend the General Assembly held in Washington DC in early November. The General Assembly is the premier annual North American Jewish conference and is an event that inspires and engages current and emerging Jewish leaders, tackles the most critical issues of the day, and showcases the best of the Federation movement.

Responsibilities: Include attending congressional hearings; taking part in advocacy/leadership training days; compiling and analyzing surveys; and researching and writing on issues which include, but are not limited to, senior transportation, aging, and family caregiving.

Part-time and full-time internships are available for the Fall. A stipend is also available.

Application Process: Please forward a resume, short writing sample, references, and any questions to: Francie.harris@ujc.org or fax 202.785.4937

7. New GVPT Fall 2009 Course Available

GVPT 449H Seminar in Political Philosophy: Distributive Justice in Theory and Practice

Restricted to Honors GVPT majors only, all others will be placed on the holdfile.

8. Federal Semester News Flash for BSOS Students

Engage in a Washington internship for credit! Apply now to the innovative Federal Semester Program, 2009-10! For details and information: http://www.federalsemester.umd.edu. Rising juniors and seniors of all majors are welcome. Yearlong program includes workshops on federal careers and professional development; trips to Capitol Hill; help obtaining internships in federal agencies, congressional offices, think tanks, NGOs dealing with federal policy, etc. Places still available in all three concentrations: U.S. Policy in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Homeland Security Policy, and Federal Health Policy. Rolling admissions.

News flash: The Federal Semester program has received a Federal Grant for next year. There are now even more opportunities and support available for 2009-10 participants!

The newsletter is sent out on Fridays to all current University of Maryland students who have declared and been accepted into the GVPT major. Only information relevant to academic and extra-curricular opportunities for these students will be sent through the newsletter. The government advising office reserves the right to edit and review all submissions to the GVPT newsletter and deny any submissions at their sole discretion.

If you would like to submit information or announcements, please email ADVISING@gvpt.umd.edu. Only those submissions which are denied or delayed will be contacted further.