Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

Industry Spotlight: Government and Politics

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Written By: Andrew Hoy, Intern, Career Enrichment Network

One of the best parts about a liberal arts degree is that students are able to take the skills they learn and apply them to countless different fields. Graduates may end up using their degree in industries they never thought they could. To make these positions more available to students, the Career Enrichment Network is going to be creating posts for Liberal Arts Voices that will be featured in the weekly newsletter that include a little bit about a specific industry and some positions available through Network Symplicity in that industry.

For this week’s Industry Spotlight, we’re taking a look at positions in government and politics. In politics, students of any major or degree level can often find an opportunity that will interest and challenge them. These opportunities often involve policy making and research in a large variety of fields, from social issues to economic to environmental, and finding a position of interest shouldn’t be a problem for any student. Positions are also available at the local, state, and national levels, making them much more geographically accessible. If you are interested in interning with a congressman, be sure to check your local congressman’s website  for information, as congressman often look for applicants with ties to their district.

If you are a Liberal Arts student participating in an internship and are looking for funding to make the experience more affordable, consider applying for College of the Liberal Arts Enrichment Funds. Make sure you get your applications in early though, the priority deadline for summer internships is May 1st and the strict deadline is June 1st.

Here are some of the government positions currently listed in Network Symplicity. Please note, application deadline may be estimates, so it is always best to submit your application before the deadline.

Summer Intern- Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC)

CSPC internships offer motivated students the opportunity to learn first-hand about the international and domestic issues confronting the American Presidency and Legislature in a fast-moving DC think tank. Interns will work closely with senior CSPC staff; while interns are assigned a primary project to work on during their time at the Center based on their experience and qualifications, they also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of Center activities and operations during their internship. Responsibilities include working with experienced policymakers and former government officials, conducting research and writing to support Center projects and policy analysis, helping to organize meetings with executive and legislative public officials, the media, Presidential scholars, and other NGO leaders, and assisting with conferences, publications and public relations outreach.

Deadline: 3/15/2017

Archives Intern- Pennsylvania House of Representatives

The 13-week, paid internship, available spring, summer or fall, is a structured educational experience designed to provide hands-on, real-world experience that complements students’ academic work. Interns work alongside professional archivists and research staff on both special projects and on-going programs. Interns’ responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, arranging, describing, preserving and making records available for research. Students will have the opportunity to work with various collections of documents, photos, reports, and records. Interns may perform routine genealogical and legislative research. In addition to the hands-on activities, reading material on the role and value of archives is made available, and tours of local archival, historical and political sites are organized with the intention of providing interns with both practical and academic knowledge.

Deadline for Summer Application: 3/1/2016

Summer Intern- Cato Institute

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization — a think tank — dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues. They are seeking interns to assist scholars in all areas of policy research covered by the institute–healthcare, education, taxation, economics, foreign policy, defense, law, criminal justice, and more. Communications-oriented internships are also available: We offer media relations, external affairs, and graphic design/video production positions. All interns, regardless of specific departmental placement, will take part in an intensive seminar program which will cover a broad range of history, philosophy, policy, and professional development topics.

Deadline: 2/25/2017

Congressional Internship Program- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

During CHCI’s paid summer and semester internships, promising Latino undergraduate students experience what it’s like to work in a congressional office, while participating in weekly professional and leadership development and civic engagement through community service. CHCI Interns learn firsthand about how the legislative system works, spending four days each week (Monday-Thursday) working on Capitol Hill. Usually, you are placed with a member of Congress who serves a district in your home state performing meaningful work

Deadline: 4/21/2017

 

Public Service Fellows Internship Program Fall 2016

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Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

The Partnership’s Public Service Fellows Program provides the opportunity for current students and recent graduates to develop professional skills while helping transform how government works.

Our fellows do substantive, meaningful work that is integral to our day-to-day operations, programs and activities. Duties vary across our teams, but include event planning, research, writing and working with outside partners, including federal agencies and colleges and universities.

Fellows have opportunities to grow personally as well as professionally through workshops and training sessions geared toward students and young professionals. We offer the following compensation (less applicable taxes and deductions):

  • $1000/month for fellows with an undergraduate or graduate degree
  • $800/month for fellows who have not yet graduated

Pay is pro-rated for part-time fellows.

Who Should Apply

We strive to be inclusive and actively recruit for diversity, believing that a range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences contributes to our mission of revitalizing government.

We seek extraordinary applicants who:

  • Are committed to public service
  • Have strong written and oral communication skills
  • Think analytically
  • Work well in teams

If you share our passion, we want to hear from you.

Applications for the 2016 fall term close on Friday, July 8. Apply today!

A Next Generation Conference for Undergraduates

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Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

Friday, July 29 – Sunday, July 31
Washington, DC

Engage with peers and policy leaders
Learn how to craft a career with impact
Compete with other students to send policy recommendations to the 45TH President

This summer you decided to come to Washington, DC — because you want to experience the nation’s capital, and learn how to make a difference. Or, you already live here and have decided you want to take advantage of what Washington has to offer.

At Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College Washington DC we have a weekend you may be interested in attending. In partnership with The Public Policy & International Affairs Program and NASPAA, we are hosting an interactive conference from Friday, the 29th to Sunday the 31st  where attendees will hear speakers and learn from experts on public policy issues that include technology & society, government gridlock, climate change, and education.

At the 2016 Conference for Diversity & Impact we will select fifty students to:

  • Attend engaging public policy discussions
  • Learn about the skills you need to create real opportunity for your career
  • Participate in a team competition to develop policy recommendations for the 45th President

Three of the five teams will take home cash prizes (ranging from $500 – $2,000 per team) and will be included in a video message to the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, who will have just been nominated at the Democratic and Republican national conventions.

Who Should Apply?

Undergraduate students living in the DC Metro area this summer or recent graduates not enrolled in graduate school. Whether you live in DC full time or will only be in town for the summer!
To learn more and apply, go to http://hnz.cm/publicserviceweekend
Deadline to apply is June 30.

Grassroots Campaigns Hiring Campaign Staff

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Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

Grassroots Campaigns is a progressive organization that specializes in running face-to-face campaigns for non-profits, political groups and advocacy organizations. Our past and current partners include the DNC, the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The 2016 Campaign Staff will join our team at a critical moment in our country’s history. Thus far we have made significant progress when it comes to LGBT equality, commitment to curbing global climate change, and making healthcare more available to everyone, but all of this is under fierce attack. The outcome of November’s elections will be paramount to whether we continue to move this country forwards, or enter into battle for the next four years.

As a member of the 2016 Campaign Team, new directors will have the opportunity to make an impact on these critical issues and the election, while learning all the skills and aspects of managing a grassroots campaign. Staff will be placed as Assistant Directors on campaigns throughout the country, where they will work as part of a team to meet and exceed the goals for their offices. An office this summer could be responsible for building a team that talks to 60,000 people and raises $300,000 on behalf of one or more of our partner groups; an election field office could be charged with registering 20,000 new voters in a key district or having 100,000 GOTV conversations in a specific county. In order to meet these goals and win, directors will spend their time on:

  • Recruitment: Build a team of 20-100 canvassers. Design and execute a plan to get out the word in your city about canvasser jobs. Recruit applicants, interview candidates, and make hiring decisions.
  • Training: Teach canvassing, fundraising, and voter outreach skills. Work with your staff in individual and group settings, in the office as well as in the field. Create a welcoming, motivating, and fun campaign environment.
  • Leadership Development: Develop, mentor, and train your best people to take on leadership, and promote top staff to trainer and management positions.
  • Canvassing: Canvass in the field 3-4 times per week, training new and experienced staff, leading by example, and getting front-line experience talking to supporters and voters.
  • Administration: Carefully track and report results. Manage the budget for your office. Process staff payroll. Orchestrate logistics of getting people around your city each day. Maintain records for future organizing efforts. Manage the voter file.

 2016 Campaign Staff will receive at least two, and commonly three or four assignments and placements.

  • First assignment is placement as an Assistant Director in one of our canvass offices, fundraising and building support for one of our partner groups, such as Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and Doctors Without Borders, and learning to run a campaign from top to bottom.
  • Second assignment is placement as an Assistant Director (top staff may be promoted to Lead Canvass Director) in election canvass offices, doing voter registration and turnout for important candidates.

Depending on which states end up being the most important battlegrounds, 2016 Campaign Staff may receive deployments to third and fourth locations. Post election, 2016 Campaign Staff will have opportunities to interview for positions and promotions on post-November projects.

Qualifications:

Strong communication and motivational skills, work ethic, and desire for political change are essential. Candidates must be able to work within a team, but also have strong self-direction, initiative and a sense of humor. Flexibility and nimbleness to work on a range of issues and causes, while using a variety of grassroots tactics and tools is also important. Previous campaign experience is a plus, and may qualify candidates for more advanced campaign positions.

Training:

This is a job where you will lead while you learn. Take on significant leadership right away, while working intensively alongside experienced campaign staff. Attend national or statewide classroom trainings.

Salary:

For 2016 Campaign Staff placed as Assistant Directors, compensation is $26,000 plus health care.

Please visit our website www.grassrootscampaigns.com for more information or to apply

 

Interested in Working the Washington, D.C. Area?

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Interested in working the Washington, D.C. area?
This year Penn State University and the University of Maryland are coordinating a career fair in Washington, D.C. for all Big Ten schools for the spring 2016 semester. The focus of the fair will be government, non-profits, NGO’s and public service organizations.
In addition to the fair, several information sessions will be presented covering topics such as working on the hill, working in non-profits, the federal government job search and more. There will also be a networking opportunity to meet with Penn State alumni from the greater D.C. area.

We are seeking your input in order to determine interest to help us offer an event that best fits the needs of our students. Please take a few moments to share your thoughts by filling out this survey: http://goo.gl/MFk8Lj

DCI Group Recruiting Digital Specialist

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Washington, DC; Full-time

Company Description

Partnering with our clients, DCI provides strategic counsel and designs winning public affairs and communications campaigns around the world. Our creative solutions advance the business priorities of our clients by delivering results in the most challenging environments.

Our team includes public affairs strategists who have held positions at the most senior levels within government, politics, and corporate communications. Each has extensive experience in managing complex issue campaigns. They choose to work at DCI Group because they want a different kind of career experience and the highest quality client relationships. Our team members are motivated by our business approach, where our success is predicated on our clients’ success.

As a DCI Group team member, you’ll work in a fast-paced environment and make an impact on our business contributing towards the success of our company. Our total rewards package includes:

  • Competitive market pay based compensation
  • Comprehensive benefits plans to include, medical, dental & vision plans for full time employees
  • Bustling downtown location, casual environment and lots more!

Job Description

DCI Group is seeking a digital public affairs professional to join the War Room in our Washington, DC office. The War Room offers excellent opportunities for professional development and growth in a fast-paced, campaign-style environment. The successful candidate will be charged with managing tasks within DCI Group’s Digital team and will play an integral role on the Digital team. Candidate must demonstrate a working knowledge of and interest in the public policy process and have strong written and oral communication skills. Candidate should be organized and use discretion when prioritizing multiple tasks. Public affairs or communications internship experience with a focus on integrated marketing, or digital communications in an agency, campaign, advocacy organization or corporate setting is a plus.

  • Accountable for client team satisfaction while managing daily tasks on several projects concurrently
  • Exercises considerable independent professional judgment regarding methods and techniques to achieve desired results.
  • Executes with internal teams integrated digital and social media campaigns while operating within a team environment
  • Prepares regular reports of various natures for clients
  • Updates websites and creates social media  content with the Digital team
  • Tracks and analyzes online conversations; identifies influencers
  • Involved in the  creation and distribution of email newsletters
  • Communicates and directs  vendors with regard to projects
  • Executes assignments within deadline and adheres to quality standards
  • Ability to set and adjust own work schedule as required to complete deliverables consistent with meeting client expectations

Qualifications

The ideal candidate would possess the following skills:

  •  Excellent project management skills; is organized and exhibits critical attention to detail
  • Effective communicator who is responsive and thrives in a fast-paced environment
  • Exposure to hands-on digital campaign planning and execution
  • Knowledge of digital trends and best practices
  • Understands why online media monitoring is important and is able to identify relevant conversations and influencers
  • Proficiency with social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn
  • Experience with content management systems (CMS) to manage websites and blogs
  • Experience analyzing and reporting web analytics and/or social media data
  • Flexibility to work with many different personalities
  • Creative, innovative thinker
  • Deadline driven and proactive in completing tasks
  • Naturally inquisitive, enjoys learning new things and accepts new challenges readily

Click here for more information and to apply.

Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows Program Accepting Applications

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Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows
Located just outside of Washington D.C., The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows is a competitive five-and-a-half week summer leadership program that offers a small, select group of rising college juniors unparalleled opportunities in the nation’s capital and on the famous estate of America’s first president.

Deadline: February 1, 2015

Program Dates: June 8-July 15, 2015

About the Program:
The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows program invites undergraduate leaders from diverse academic disciplines to immerse themselves in leadership development programming inspired by the life and legacy of George Washington, and today’s foremost leaders. This select, small cohort of rising college juniors will engage in dynamic academic workshops, experiential activities, and a capstone project that fully utilizes the rich resources of Washington, D.C., the nation’s newest presidential library, and the famous estate of America’s first president.

This five-and-a-half week residential summer fellowship is designed to create the next generation of our nation’s top leaders. During this time, you will dig deep into a cause you believe in, interact with like-minded student leaders from across the country, and learn from the top corporate, military, government, and non-profit leaders in the nation. You will experience impactful personal growth, develop a network of  professional contacts, present a mission-oriented service project, and become a lifelong member of a connected and engaged community of program alumni. Set against the exciting backdrop of our nation’s capital and Mount Vernon, a vast variety of unparalleled cultural and networking opportunities await you.

Application Requirements:
The 2015 class of Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows will comprise a small cohort of rising college juniors, selected from the 5 regions of the United States. This regional selection process ensures Mount Vernon’s goal of gathering a diverse, dynamic group of Fellows from across the country.

Students who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply:
-Currently enrolled rising college junior in good standing
-Demonstrated leadership ability and interest
-Cumulative GPA 3.4 or higher

More details and application instructions can be found here: http://www.mountvernon.org/library/leadership-programs/mount-vernon-fellows/

Internship Panel-D.C., Government, and Think Tanks

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Learn about summer internship opportunities from Scholars that have worked on Capitol Hill; the world’s most-respected think tank and the world’s top-ranked international security think tank; a Department of Defense senior service college; the Pennsylvania state legislature; and an economic consulting firm.

Panelists will discuss their work for U.S. Senator Bob Casey, the Brookings Institution, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the U.S. Army War College, the Pennsylvania State Democratic Appropriations Committee, and Bates White Economic Consulting. This is A GREAT opportunity to learn about diverse options and to get TIPS on internships, opportunities, and networking. This event is OPEN TO ALL MAJORS! Freshman, sophomores, and juniors are encouraged to attend.

This program will be hosted on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6:00 PM in the Grandfather Clock Lounge in Atherton Hall. Food will be provided. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to SHCCareerDev@psu.edu. In the subject line please put Government Panel.”

Lynne Abraham for Mayor of Philadelphia is Hiring

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Former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham is running to become the Democratic nominee for Mayor of Philadelphia in 2015.

The campaign is hiring campaign fundraising staff immediately. Prior campaign and fundraising experience is not required. This job is an excellent opportunity for recent college graduates, December 2014 graduates, and others who are interested in pursuing a career in Democratic politics or looking for a once in a lifetime experience.

Lynne served as District Attorney for Philadelphia from 1991 until 2010, and previously served as both a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and as head of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority

For those enthusiastic about electing Lynne Abraham as the next Mayor of Philadelphia, this is an ideal opportunity!

Responsibilities include:
• Traveling and working directly with the Candidates
• Organizing and coordinating fundraising events
• Compiling and analyzing data, research
• Developing and implementing strategic plans

Applicants for this position must:
• Have excellent communication skills
• Be able to write clearly and concisely
• Be able to balance and prioritize multiple projects
• Have proven organizational skills
• Be personable and enjoy working with others
• Be comfortable communicating on the telephone
• Ideally, have database experience

To apply, e-mail resume to: lori@FundraisingFMG.com

EEOC – Protecting America’s Civil Rights

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This is my third and final blog entry regarding my internship in Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the fall of 2011 (my previous blog posts can be found here and here). I still consider it to be one of the greatest professional experiences I’ve ever had.

From returning phone calls to charging parties (those who have pending cases with the agency), to keeping records and notes regarding individual cases in our electronic software system, to conducting over the phone preliminary interviews, to potential new charging parties, one day in the office was never the same as another. At times, it was exhausting, but always enjoyable!

It was helpful to have a good idea of employment law and practice prior to the internship, but much was learned during it as well. I took an employment law course at the same time, so that worked out very well. It’s important to note that my internship dealt strictly with federal anti-discrimination laws and cases. Wrongful termination and other laws, particularly state and local laws, are not part of what the EEOC enforces. It was surprising to learn what was legal and what was not. It was also interesting to learn that not all “discrimination,” in its purest sense, is illegal on the federal level. 

As an intern in such a position of influence, I, along with fellow interns, had a considerable amount of discretion in how cases would be handled, rated and ultimately passed on to investigation or mediation. We also had the power to dismiss cases if the merits were considerably weak or the issues weren’t under the agency’s jurisdiction. For instance, claims arising under the Family and Medical Leave Act fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor, not the EEOC. We had to refer them appropriately.

The office staff was great! They were helpful and fun to work with – literally like one big work family. As interns, we were welcomed and made to feel included at all times. This made a huge difference in the experience. We also made friends and were able to use people we worked with as references for future opportunities. Such an experience was truly priceless!

The EEOC safeguards civil rights in the workplace in the United States. Its role continues to change and grow as new laws are passed. I gained tremendous respect for the agency and its mission while I was there, and the knowledge acquired and experience gained was unlike any other. I will forever be proud of my work there and grateful for the chance to be part of protecting civil rights for those in the workplace. As my office’s deputy director told me on my last day, “Come back and visit – you’re part of the family now.”

I’d especially like to thank Mindy Weinstein, acting office director, and Cheryl Mabry-Thomas, acting deputy director, for granting me the chance to be a part of the EEOC’s Washington Field Office. They, along with everyone else there, will always have my greatest respect and deepest gratitude.    

 

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