Is the S&T Policy Intern Program right for me?

2007 U.Va. and MIT interns

Applicants must be:

• Undergraduates in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia.
• In good academic standing.
• Current second- or third-year students (for those not on a four-year schedule, you must have completed one academic year before applying and be coming back for at least one more semester of undergraduate study after the internship).
• Ready to enroll in science and technology policy course for interns (STS 3020) in spring term.
• Committed to working in an office, attending organized events (e.g., the speaker series, group dinners, and group meetings, etc.), and assisting the program (e.g., by helping recruit future interns).
• Committed to living in shared dormitories, even if other accommodations are available. An important part of the experience is getting to know interns, which happens mainly in the dormitory.
• Committed to working in Washington for the full ten weeks of the internship. We have more qualified applicants than spaces, so we must devote our limited resources to those who will give and gain the most from the program. (Some interns travel as part of their office duties. We welcome such trips and count them as "being in their city" for this purpose.) Interns are free to travel on weekends, but we encourage them to take advantage of their city's unique opportunities as much as possible.

Who Should Apply?

The program strongly encourages applications from women and from those who would broaden the racial, ethnic, and economic diversity of the group. One of the reasons we provide housing and limited stipends is so that all those selected can participate.

In general, individuals most likely to enjoy and contribute to the internship are:

• Mature
• Self-motivated
• Curious
• Responsible
• Adaptable
• Organized
• Able to take initiative
• Able to follow through on tasks and meet deadlines
• Strong analytic and synthetic thinkers
• Able to work well with others, but also able to work independently
• Academically successful
• Skilled in writing and public speaking
• Skilled in research
• Interested in science and technology policy

Why Apply?

The internship is a summer of exploration. It is ideal for those who are interested in policy careers. Those who may be unsure of their future direction can use the experience to learn about careers they might not know exist. And students who are planning careers outside of policy—in industry, law, medicine, education, and more—will find that their experience deepens and broadens their understanding of those fields.

The S&T Policy Internship gives you the opportunity to explore Washington DC and the world of policy in a structured and supportive environment, while earning academic credit for an unparalleled experience. Participating as an intern will:

What Do Our Alumni Do?

Everything.

PIP interns have won the SEAS outstanding student award for the last four years running. Many of our interns go on to excellent graduate schools, pursuing degrees in public policy, business, law and medicine. (A number pursue the 5-year MPP program at Batten). Our alumni have competed successfully for prestigious national scholarships. In recent years, interns have been nominated by UVA for Truman and Marshall scholarships and several have received Fulbrights for study abroad.

Some go into policy through government or NGOs. Recent graduates have been at the World Bank, the State Department, US Agency for International Development, Congress, and more.

Many other go on to work for engineering or management consulting firms. In many cases, interns work for companies that contract with government agencies to help provide expertise for solving the same kinds of policy problems. Others go on to found their own companies or work for industry. Even if their work does not directly involve public policy, their experience gives them a richer context for their work.

There's no one career path for our interns.

What Do Former Interns Say About Their Experience?

“The best summer of my life.”

“The program gave me a really good real world appreciation. As an engineer I didn't know I could work for human rights. As an engineer I thought you work for a company - I didn't know you could work for a cause.”

“The people making big decision on technology policy don't know much about technology; we got a chance to help shape and change opinions.”

“This internship was different from the ones I had before - in the past had two typical internships and I sat in front of a computer all day. This time I got an understanding of how government works, especially for technology policy standpoint, which I think can be useful in a lot of future careers, if you go into business for example.”

“Not all things can be learned in school. I feel like I got a course in politics 101 and that could not be put in a textbook, could not be taught by a professor. There's just no substitute for that real life experience.”

“Opportunities as an intern in DC are really endless. There are always discussion, and hearings going on. I didn't know these things were so accessible and the program just made them more accessible and supplemented them.”