Internship Opportunities

Internship Quicklinks

Capital Aide Internships

Description of Duties: misc. administrative including constituent correspondence, legislative research, press releases, event planning and answering phones.

Requirements: school transcripts, at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen, good communication skills, interest in policies and policymaking.

Application: possible resume/references/writing sample, computer skills, interest in local/state politics and policymaking.

Executive:

Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

  • Contact: Katie Matthews,
  • Internship Coordinator
  • Washington D.C. Office
  • Phone: (202) 624-5270
  • Website: gov.ca.gov/
  • Regional Offices in Fresno, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco
  • **Contact internship coordinators at individual office of interest. Please see website for more information

White House Internship Program

  • Washington, D.C.
  • Contact: Rachel Halton
  • Presidential Personnel Office
  • Phone: (202) 456-9713
  • For application, visit www.whitehouse.gov
  • then go to Appointments ‘Application’

Senator Able Maldonado

  • 15th Senate District
  • 1356 Marsh St.
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Phone: (805) 549-3784

Legislative:

Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee

NALEO Educational Fund

  • Summer Legislative Internship Program
  • 5800 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. 365
  • Los Angeles, CA 90040
  • Contact: Edith Castillo-Kuncewicki,
  • Internship Coordinator
  • Phone: (800) 34-NALEO
  • Email: ecastillo@naleo.org
  • Website: http://www.naleo.org

Congresswoman Lois Capps ­ SLO Office

  • 1411 Marsh, Ste. 205
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Contact: Betsy Umhoffer
  • Phone: (805) 546-8348
  • Email: Betsy.Umhoffer@mail.hous.gov
  • Serious applicants should send a cover letter and résumé to the address above.

U.S. Representative Doug Ore

  • 215 Cannon HOB
  • Washington, D.C. 20515
  • Contact: Tom Capriola ­ staff assistant
  • Phone: (202) 226-1298

Senator Bill Morrow

  • 27126-A Paseo Espada, Ste. 1621
  • San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
  • Contact: Carol Marks
  • Phone: (949) 489-9838

Congresswoman Lois Capps ­ Santa Barbara

  • 1216 State St, Ste 403
  • Santa Barbara, CA 93101
  • Contact: Jeremy Tittle
  • Phone: (805) 730-1710
  • Please send a cover letter, résumé, and writing sample to the address above.

Senator Barbara Boxer

District Office (SLO)

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Bono-Capps Congressional Internship Program

  • 1608 Rhode Island Ave., NW 2nd Floor
  • Washington, D.C. 20036
  • Contact: Jennifer Poulakidas
  • Phone: (202) 974-6310
  • Website: www.cssdc.org/internship.html

City Government Internships

Description of Duties: Description of Duties: special projects, research, cross-checking, updating forms, administrative duties.

Requirements: some coursework in field (CRP, architecture, engineering). Minimum one quarter internship - Hours flexible.

City of San Luis Obispo

City of Santa Maria

City of Pismo Beach

  • Administrative Office
  • 760 Mattie Rd.
  • Pismo Beach, CA 93449
  • Contact: Debra Garcia
  • Phone: (805) 773-4657
  • Web: www.pismobeach.org

County of San Luis Obispo

  • Administrative Office, Room 370
  • County Government Center
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
  • Contact: Dan Buckchi or Christie Guiterrez
  • Phone: (805) 781-5011

City of Arroyo Grande

  • PO Box 550
  • Arroyo Grande, CA 93421
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
  • Contact: Steve Adams
  • Phone: (805) 473-5404
  • Email: sadams@arroyogrande.org

Election & Campaign Internships

Description of Duties: analysis of voter registration and election results, writing/presenting reports, working with/on precinct voter lists, organizing volunteers.

Requirements: computer skills, responsibility, interest in local politics and elections.

SLO County Democratic Headquarters

  • 1110 Marsh Street
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Contact: Estelle Wall
  • Phone: (805) 545-7778

Republican Headquarters SLO - Campaign Office

  • 1179 Toro Street
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Phone: (805) 541-4010

Project Vote Smart

  • Internship Coordinator
  • One Common Ground
  • Philipsburg, MT 59858
  • Phone: 406-859-8683
  • Fax: 406-859-8680
  • Email: intern@vote-smart.org
  • Website: vote-smart.org

Interest Group Internships

Requirements: interest in field.

Description of Duties: research, administrative duties, public relations, other.

Arms Control Association

American Israel Public Affairs Committee

  • America's Pro-Israel Lobby
  • 440 First Street NW, Suite 600
  • Washington, DC 20001
  • Contact: Internship Coordinator
  • Phone: (202) 639-5327
  • Website: www.aipac.org
  • Please refer to the website for all information.

The Brookings Institution

  • Governmental Studies Program
  • 1775 Massachusetts Ave.
  • Washington, DC 20036-2188
  • Phone: (202) 797-6090
  • Contact: Rob Wooley, Internship Coordinator
  • Email: rwooley@brookings.edu
  • Website: www.brook.edu
  • Serious applicants e-mail Maggie at the address above.

Center for Defense Information

  • 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW
  • Washington, DC 20036
  • Phone: (202) 797-5267
  • Contact: Ann Peters, Internship Coordinator
  • Website: www.cdi.org

U.S. Secret Service

  • Attn: Student Intern Coordinator
  • 1800 G Street NW, Room 912
  • Washington, DC 20223
  • Website: www.treas.gov/usss
  • Please refer to website for all information.

Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs

  • 1119 19th Street NW, Suite 900
  • Washington, DC 20036
  • Phone: (202) 296-3920
  • Contact: Dollie Eleam
  • Email: intern@cnfa.org
  • Website: www.cnfa.org

Serious applicants please send a cover letter, résumé, three letters of recommendation, and a writingsample to the address above at Dollie's attention. Min. 3.0 GPA

Institute for Experiential Learning

  • 1776 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 102
  • Washington, DC 20036
  • Contact: Matt Buchanan or Julie Froom, Internship Coordinators
  • Phone: (800) 435-0770
  • Email: info@ielnet.org
  • Website: www.ielnet.org
  • Internship placement program for DC area; for credit only

Institute for Policy Studies

  • 733 15th Street NW, Suite 1020
  • Washington, DC 20005
  • Contact: Dorian Lipscomb, Internship Coordinator
  • Phone: (202) 234-9382, ext. 233
  • Website: www.ips-dc.org
  • Fall quarter especially

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

  • 911 Second St. NE
  • Washington, DC 20062
  • Contact: Cecilia Majors, Internship Coordinator
  • Phone: (800) 392-3532 or (202) 543-1771
  • Email: fdonato@chci.org
  • Website: www.chci.org

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

  • Attn: Internship Coordinator
  • 1615 H Street NW
  • Washington, DC 20062
  • Phone: (202) 463-5731
  • Email: intern@uschamber.com
  • Website: www.uschamber.org
  • Please refer to the website for all information.

Department of Defense

  • Washington Headquarters Services
  • 2521 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Ste. 3000
  • Crystal City, VA 22202
  • Contact: Tom Davis
  • Phone: (703) 617-7956
  • Website: www.whs.mil/HRD/

Department of State

  • Intern Coordinator, Recruitment Division
  • 2401 E Street NW, Room H518
  • Washington, DC 20522
  • Website: www.state.gov
  • Please refer to the website for all information.

Congressional Research Center

  • Library of Congress, CRS/LM-205
  • 101 Independence Ave. SE
  • Washington, DC 20540-7000
  • Contact: Warren Lenhart
  • Website: http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo
  • Serious applicants fax résumé with cover letter to: (202) 707-2615 or e-mail it to: bmccalip@crs.loc.gov

Law & Law Enforcement Internships

Description of Duties: client contact, legal research, office work, liaison w/media, status reports from courts, research analysis.

Requirements: strong research skills, computer skills, ability to work under time constraints, interest in field of law/public administration. Minimum one quarter internship - Hours flexible.

SLO County Probation

  • 2176 Johnson Ave.
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Phone: (805) 788-2115
  • Contact: Nancy Lindholm

Department of Social Services: Child Welfare Services

  • 3433 South Higuera
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Phone: (805) 781-1700
  • Contact: Charlene Hite

District Attorney's Office

  • Courthouse Annex 4th Floor
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
  • Phone: (805) 781-5861
  • Contact: Kimberly Hanson

Judge Rogelio Flores

  • County of Santa Barbara Superior Court - North Div.
  • 312 East Cook St.
  • Santa Maria, CA 93456
  • Phone: (805) 346-7473
  • Contact: Don Young

District Attorney- Victim/Witness Assistance

  • County Government Center, Room 121
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
  • Phone: (805) 781-5821
  • Contact: Jennifer Cudworth

Hall & Hieatt

  • 1319 Marsh St., 2nd floor
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • (805) 544-3830
  • Contact: Irene Moore

Cuesta College Campus Police Department

  • Hwy 1
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
  • (805) 546-3205
  • Contact: Ron Chram
  • Shell Beach Law Group
  • Brian Craig Kreowski
  • 1435 Shell Beach Rd.
  • Shell Beach, CA 93449
  • Contact: Kim Smario
  • Phone: (805) 773-5661

Stein & Casciola

  • 1119 Palm St.
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • (805) 541- 4135
  • Contact: Chris Casciola
  • Email: chriscasciola@hotmail.com
  • Specializing in criminal defense

U.S. Secret Service

  • Los Angeles Field Office
  • 225 E. Temple St., 17th floor
  • Los Angeles, CA 90012
  • Phone: (213) 533-4454
  • Contact: Debbie Winfrey, Internship Coordinator

Supreme Court Fellow

  • Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • Room 5
  • Washington, D.C. 20543
  • Phone: (202) 479-3415

International Law Institute

  • The Foundry Building
  • 1055 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.
  • Washington, D.C. 20007
  • USA Phone: (202) 247-6006
  • Website: ili.org

Cuesta College Campus Police Department

  • Hwy. 1
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
  • (805) 546-3205
  • Contact: Justin Longcar

Media Internships

Description of Duties: administrative duties, research/writing, and public relations.

Requirements: Writing Skills. Minimum one-quarter internship - Hours flexible.

KSBY-TV

  • 1772 Calle Joaquin
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
  • Contact: Kristen Oato
  • Phone: (805) 597-8404
  • Email: koato@ksby.com

C-SPAN Internship Program

  • 400 N. Capitol St., N.W., Suite 650
  • Washington, D.C. 20001
  • Website: www.c-span.org

Washington Center for Politics and Journalism

  • P.O. Box 15201
  • Washington, DC 20003
  • Contact: Terry Michael
  • Phone: (202) 296-8455 Fax: (800)858-8365
  • Website: www.wcpj.org

Open to Journalism Students only!

Non-Profit Internships

Description of Duties: communications, government relations, response to member inquires, research, writing.

Requirements: research skills, writing skills, computer skills, flexibility, interest in policymaking, possible: resume, writing sample, letters of recommendation, statement of interest. Minimum one quarter internship - Hours flexible.

Big Brothers / Big Sisters

  • 1880 Santa Barbara, St., A-3 PO 12644
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-3029
  • Contact: Sarah Rudd-Lawler
  • Phone: (805) 781-3226x26

California Rural Legal Assistance

  • 1160 Marsh St., Ste. 114
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Contact: Mike Blank
  • Phone: (805) 544-7997

Community Foundation

  • 1401 Higuera Street
  • SLO, CA 93406
  • Contact: Janice Wolf
  • E-mail:
  • Phone: (805) 543-2323

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

  • 75 Higuera Suite 180
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Contact: Elsemae Curry
  • Phone: (805) 546-2401 x107

EOC Homeless Services

  • 750 Orcutt Rd., SLO, CA 93406
  • Contact: Jody Smith
  • Phone: (805) 541-6351

ECOSLO

  • 1204 Nipomo Street
  • SLO, CA 93401
  • Contact: Caitlin Madden
  • E-mail: caitlin@ecolslo.org
  • Phone: (805) 544-1777

Lifewater International

  • 563 Empleo Street, Ste., C
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Phone: (805) 541-6634
  • Website: www.lifewater.org
  • Fill out the internship application on the Lifewater website and contact Carrie Squires at 541-6634 or squires@lifewater.org

San Luis Obispo County Employee's Association (SLOCEA)

  • 1035 Walnut Street
  • San Luis Obispo, CA93401
  • Contact: Christine Brown
  • Phone: (805) 543-2021
  • Email: cbrown@slocea.org

San Luis Obispo Medical Society

  • 3165 South Broad St., Ste 114
  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
  • Contact: Jessica Goldman
  • Phone (805) 544-3020
  • Email: Jessica.goldman@slocam.org

Common Cause

  • 1250 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
  • Washington, D.C. 20036
  • Contact: Eyan Storrar, Internship Coordinator
  • Phone (202) 833-1200
  • Apply online at www.commoncause.org

Consumers for World Trade

  • 1001 Connecticut Avenue N W, Suite 1110
  • Washington, D.C. 20036
  • Phone: (202) 293-2944
  • E-mail: comdorf@cais.com

Editorial Internship

  • SIERRA (Sierra Club magazine)
  • 85 Second St., 2nd Floor
  • San Francisco, CA 94105
  • Attn: Karina Kinik, Copy Editor
  • FAX: (415) 977-5794
  • Website: http://www.sierraclub.com
  • Please refer to website for information.

Environmental Careers Organization

  • California Program Office
  • 45 Belden Place
  • 2nd Floor
  • San Francisco, CA 94104
  • Phone: (415) 362-5552
  • E-mail: pcalzada@eco.org
  • Website: www.eco.org

Sierra Club Legislative Office