Internship Opportunities
Program Internships
Students typically say that the most rewarding component of the Women in Politics & Public Policy Program is their internship.
The two-semester internship provides learning environments for a deeper understanding of the political and policymaking process. Students spend 200 hours over the two semesters as interns in the offices of members of the U.S. Congress or state senators and representatives; state or local agencies; non-profit or advocacy organizations; or at prestigious research institutes.
Throughout the Program, faculty guide students in matching their interests to an appropriate placement and then integrating theoretical knowledge with the practical skills learned in their internships. All internships provide substantive experiences and opportunities for learning and developing connections. A number of students find that they can parlay their internships into jobs after they complete the program. Others use the experience to strengthen their resumes in applying to graduate or law school.
Students spend about 10-15 hours per week in the placement, keeping a record of work activities and skills development, and making connections between the academic courses and experiences at the internship. Students also meet regularly with the instructor to discuss the progress of their internship placement and write a paper each semester.
Opportunities Have Included Congressional Internships
Students have secured internships as:
- Aides to US Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, and US Representatives Marty Meehan, John Tierney, James McGovern
- Aides in the Office of the Governor
- Researchers in the Massachusetts Caucus of Women State Legislators
- Policy analysts and legislative aides to State Representatives Kay Khan, Elizabeth Malia, Jay Kaufman, David Magnani, Alice Wolf; and in the office of Senator Therese Murray and Dianne Wilkerson, among others
Non-Profit and Advocacy Internship Opportunities
Many students are interested in honing their skills and furthering their careers with internship placements at area non-profit or advocacy organizations. Some recent internship placements in this category include:
- Boston N.O.W.
- Child Care Resource Center
- Egleston Square Neighborhood Association
- Girls' Pipeline to Power
- Gray Panthers of Rhode Island
- Health Care For All
- League of Women Voters
- Massachusetts Eating Disorders Association, Inc.
- Mass NARAL
- Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus
- New England Aquarium
- Our Bodies, Ourselves
- Peace Watch Ireland
- Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
- Rosie's Place
- The Boston Foundation Indicators Project
- We Learn (Women Expanding/Literacy Education Action Resource Network)
- Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts
State and City Government Internships
State and city government offices offer many opportunities for women in our Program. These include internships at the:
- Attorney General's Office
- Division of Health Care Finance and Policy
- Boston , Cambridge and Somerville Women's Commissions
- Boston Redevelopment Authority
- Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
- Gubernatorial election campaigns of Deval Patrick, Kerry Healey, Shannon O'Brien
- City election campaign of Susan Passoni, and others
- Massachusetts Executive Offices of Administration of Finance; Elder Affairs; Labor; Public Safety; and Transportation
- Governor's Commission on Domestic Violence
- Jane Doe, Inc.
- Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women
- Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
- Massachusetts Municipal Association
- Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care
- Massachusetts Cultural Council
- Massachusetts Office for Refugees & Immigrants
- Quincy City Hall
Other Internship Opportunities
The Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy also matches interested students to internships at law firms, with lobby, and at research ‚"think tanks" such as the Conservation Law Foundation, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, and the New England Council.
Finally, a number of internships are offered at the McCormack Graduate School's research centers, including the Center for Democracy and Development, the Center for Social Policy, the Gerontology Institute, and our own Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy.
News about our recent graduates
Dalié Jiménez, Class of 2006,
is now in her third year at Harvard Law School.
Find out more about what our graduates have accomplished!
Visit the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy
The Graduate Program is part of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, which also offers exciting opportunities for research in women's issues and connections for current and future female leaders.
Watch a video. Visit the Center.
Apply Now for Sept. 2010
To learn more about the program contact Donna Stewartson, Associate Program Director, at 617.287.6785 or Donna.Stewartson@ umb.edu