Summer Internship

The Washington State Budget & Policy Center offers summer internships. The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. These are unpaid educational internships designed to provide the intern with exposure to the communications and public policy field to aid the intern in selecting a career, and/or in fulfilling course work requirements. Upon successful completion of the internship, the intern may receive a letter of reference.

In addition, the supervisor will certify time spent for educational credit towards college degrees and work experience. The intern is encouraged to enter the internship with goals in mind and communicate those goals to staff members so they can assist with fulfillment of those goals.

About the Budget & Policy Center: 

The Washington State Budget & Policy Center is an independent, progressive policy organization that works to create a just and prosperous state through sound research and analysis.

The Budget & Policy Center is an equal opportunity employer, and as such, takes affirmative action to insure that discrimination does not occur on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliation, disability, or any other classification considered discriminatory under applicable law.

Internship objective:   To offer training and experience to students interested in learning the basics of different aspects of political advocacy and outreach. Experience will include coalition outreach, media and communications work, drafting advocacy materials and building social media capacity.

Internship type: Outreach & Communications

Number of interns needed:  One

Start date: Negotiable, but summer of 2010

End date: Negotiable

Hours per week: 10-15 hours per week/depending upon the number of weeks scheduled to intern.

Compensation: Internships are unpaid, but interns may be provided with a small travel stipend.

Applicants should:

• have completed the sophomore year as an undergraduate

• be comfortable with Windows-based software and be able to spend extended periods at a computer terminal

• have excellent written and oral communication skills

• be discreet, professional and mindful of confidential information

• be committed to the goals of the Budget & Policy Center

Description of intern responsibilities:   Will assist the Federal Budget Outreach Associate and Communication Manager in several projects:

• Updating media contact lists;

• Assisting with outreach and advocacy efforts with our state partners;

• Assisting with media work and other communications strategies;

• Compiling press clippings and tracking important news sources for story hooks;

• Drafting letters to the editors to major papers and recruiting signers;

• Growing the Budget & Policy Center’s social media audience;

• Completing a project to be decided by the intern and their supervisor

The intern may spend some time (approximately 10%) on administrative tasks such as organizing office supplies, filing, or processing mailings.

Evaluation: Interns will be evaluated by their supervisor at the end of the internship. Evaluations will be based upon the following:

• Quality of work

• Willingness to complete tasks as assigned

• Initiative

Intern supervisor: Ben Secord, Federal Budget Outreach Associate

Location: 1402 Third Avenue, Suite 1215, Seattle, WA 98101    

How to apply: Please submit the following to Ben Secord at bens@budgetandpolicy.org.

1. A cover letter that should include the following:

• An explanation of why you wish to work at the Budget & Policy Center.

• A description of your areas of interest. Be specific.

• A description of what you hope to achieve in this internship.

• How many hours you would like to work per week and your preferred start and end dates.

• Any other information you feel would be relevant.

2.    A resume. Remember to include volunteer and school activities.

3.    A list of two current references.

4.    A short (3-5 page) writing sample that demonstrates your writing ability.

Deadline: The Budget & Policy Center will accept applications for this internship through March 31st.