Government Internships

Generally, internships with federal and state government agencies are advertised. Agencies often have internship programs that continue from year to year. Internships with senators and members of congress may or may not be advertised. Contact the office of the person for whom you are interested in working. You may also want to investigate Cornell’s Urban Semester Program, for undergraduate study and research in professional settings in New York City, focusing on multicultural issues in urban affairs; the Capital Semester Program, a full semester of course credit with a paid internship in a New York State legislator's office; and Summer in Washington (SIW), a short-term for-credit program through which students intern at congressional committee offices, executive-branch agencies, interest groups, arts and research institutions, and other organizations involved in public policy.

Internships at the local government level may be advertised, but it may also be possible to generate an internship with municipal or county government. Contact the particular department you are interested in, discuss your interests, skills,  and how these might fit with the department’s needs, and make an internship proposal. As with searching for nonprofits in a given location, employ your favorite internet search engine to find sites: government, plus the name of the city or state (for instance, government, Detroit, MI).

Once again, to identify opportunities, check the CCS Library, your college career library, and listings on CornellTRAK, as well as Government Internship Links (link to section below), below. Visit your college career office and search CornellTRAK’s Career Contact & Alumni Network to find Cornell alumni who can help you with advice and information about government careers.