GVPT Undergraduate Newsletter

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

1. Internship Opportunity with Representative Marcy Kaptur

The office of Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) is seeking full or part-time interns for the Fall academic semester. Candidates must be current college students with strong writing skills, the ability to conduct extensive research, and a high level of professionalism.

Responsibilities: Include (but are not limited to) attending hearings, writing projects including memos, reports, and correspondence, providing support for legislative staff, carrying out research projects, and basic office support.

Application Process: Interested students should email resume, cover letter, and a brief writing sample to OhioInternship@yahoo.com with the subject line: Last Name Fall Internship. Refer any questions to Reenal Doshi, Reenal.Doshi@mail.house.gov. Ohio ties are a plus but are not necessary.

2. Internship Opportunity at Beacon Consulting Group

Beacon Consulting Group, Inc., is a full service federal government relations consulting firm representing human service, youth development, healthcare, and cultural non-profit organizations throughout the United States. The firm helps clients work effectively with Congress and the Executive Branch to develop favorable public policy. An internship at Beacon offers many opportunities to gain hands-on experience with the legislative process.

Responsibilities: Include attending congressional hearings, researching federal grant opportunities, and help on special events. A minimal amount of administrative work may be asked of a Beacon intern.

Qualifications: Applicants should have excellent interpersonal and writing skills and a strong interest in domestic politics. This internship is unpaid; however, Beacon interns will receive a stipend for public transportation and midday meal costs.

Application Process: Please send resume and cover letter to the attention of Jennifer Wohl, jwohl@beacon-group.net.

3. Internship Opportunity with Senator Kirsten 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 academic 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.

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

The Association for Safe International Road Travel 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. Project Nur seeks Project Coordinator and Media&Communications Interns

Project Coordinator Intern: The Project Coordinator Intern will serve as a Project Nur leader and will learn programming, advocacy, and community mobilization skills, as well as network with other student groups, students, and professors. In this capacity, the intern will assist Project Nur in its efforts to build bridges within and between communities by promoting tolerance, responsible leadership, understanding, and the rights of individuals here in the U.S. and abroad. Project Nur empowers its student leaders to utilize their individual and collective creativity to implement meaningful cultural, civic, and direct services initiatives.

Responsibilities: Create a Project Nur Chapter at your school and lead students in doing human rights, civil rights, social justice, and cultural programming that engenders tolerance and co-existence between students on campus and beyond. Plan outreach events, network with student groups and academic departments on campuses to acquire event partners for Project Nur. Develop and implement meaningful cultural, civic, and direct services initiatives as described above under chapter creation. Advertise and promote events.

Qualifications: Applicants must be charismatic, outgoing, motivated and have a sense of humor. Must take initiative, be creative and dynamic. Must have excellent networking, communication, and writing skills. Ability to work well and coordinate with others. Good organizational skills, ability to multi-task, and meet deadlines. Microsoft Word and Excel; Microsoft Publisher preferred. Prior leadership and programming experience preferable. Background in human rights, civil rights, social justice preferable.

Interns must work a minimum of 10 hours/week in the Project Nur Boston Office. *Project Nur is a civic initiative and has no religious agenda*

Application Process: Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Bashir Martin at Bashir@ProjectNur.org. Please refer any questions to 202-595-3160, or visit www.ProjectNur.org. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Media and Communication Internship: The Media and Communication Intern will support Project Nur in its efforts to build bridges within and between communities by promoting tolerance, responsible leadership, understanding, and the rights of individuals here in the U.S. and abroad. Project Nur implements meaningful cultural, civic, and direct services initiatives. This internship will expose intern to the media, communication, and PR functions of an NGO.

Responsibilities: Support media outreach efforts of Project Nur. Draft and edit press releases, and other PR materials for Project Nur. Work on monthly newsletter. Research and develop content for Project Nur’s website. Develop a Project Nur blog. Maintain and enhance an Officer’s forum for the Project Nur website. Assist with Project Nur’s Facebook group. Create and maintain a Project Nur MySpace group. Research on-campus and external newspapers and blog sites, and maintain database of media entities, journalists, and bloggers.

Qualifications: Applicants must be charismatic, outgoing, motivated and have a sense of humor. Must take initiative, and be creative and dynamic. Must have excellent networking, communication, and writing skills. Ability to work well and coordinate with others. Good organizational skills, ability to multi-task, and meet deadlines. Microsoft Word and Excel; Microsoft Publisher and web design preferred. Background in media and/or journalism preferable.

Interns must work a minimum of 10 hours/week in the Project Nur Boston Office. *Project Nur is a civic initiative and has no religious agenda*

Application Process: Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Bashir Martin at Bashir@ProjectNur.org. Please refer any questions to 202-595-3160, or visit www.ProjectNur.org.

8. Marijuana Policy Project seeks State and Federal Interns

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is hiring Fall interns to work in their State Policies and Federal Policies departments. These are unpaid, part-time internships, with class credit available. Interns work approximately two days per week and have the chance to play a responsible role in a successful nonprofit organization.

Internships are available in two departments: (1) MPP’s State Policies department, which works to reform marijuana laws on the state level through direct lobbying and by inspiring lobbying at the grassroots level by individuals and allied organizations, and (2) MPP's Federal Policies department, which works to reform marijuana laws on the national level through direct lobbying and grassroots outreach.

State Policies Interns will: Format and post relevant news articles on each of MPP's state Web pages; Monitor news for marijuana-related articles; Maintain MPP's state Web pages; Assist in improving and maintaining the department’s filing system; and complete miscellaneous projects and research as assigned.

Federal Policies Interns will: Monitor news for articles related to marijuana policy in the department's target districts; Assist with outreach to activists in target districts, including calling MPP members and volunteers to generate pressure on members of Congress; Assist with database clean-up; Conduct research as needed; Organize the department's files and other materials, including correspondence with Senate and House offices; and occasionally attend hearings on the Hill and write summaries for the department's staff.

Qualifications: Candidates should expect a fast-paced, professional environment and should have excellent oral and written communications skills, strong Internet research skills, and be meticulous, organized, and detail-oriented. Ideal candidates will also have an interest in learning about the legislative and policy-making process, excellent interpersonal skills, good research skills, a professional demeanor, and the ability to work independently.

Application Process: Please visit http://www.mpp.org/jobs/internship-application.html and follow MPP's internship application process. Please e-mail internships@mpp.org with any questions about this internship.

9. 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.

10. 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.