Program Details
The State Government Internship Program is coordinated through a partnership of the Ohio State University Office of Government Affairs and Department of Political Science. It provides sophomores, juniors, and seniors a semester-long internship with the Ohio General Assembly. Students selected for the program will be placed in the office of a State Representative, State Senator, or caucus policy office in downtown Columbus and have the option of earning 3 hours of credit for their work. The program also offers 3 on-campus seminars focusing on different aspects of working in state government.
Students are expected to spend 10-15 hours per week at their internship in blocks of 4-5 hours. Availability on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is a plus but not required. Program requirements include attendance at a pre-internship orientation, attendance at 3 on-campus seminars that highlight different aspects of working in state government, completion of an internship agreement form, and completion of a one-on-one mid-semester meeting with the Office of Government Affairs internship coordinator.
Assignments vary from office to office, but students can expect to work on things like assisting with the resolution of constituent issues, identifying constituent and community achievements for recognition, conducting research, drafting letters and memos, and attending committee hearings and session.
In addition, the program provides the opportunity for exposure to policymaking in action and the chance to interact with public officials and government staff. Transportation is not provided; however, the Ohio Statehouse is a stop on several COTA bus lines, which requires only an active student BuckID.
Who Should Apply?
The State Government Internship Program is open to students of any major who have attained at least a 3.0 grade point average and have completed their first year of undergraduate study.
How to Apply
Applications for Spring semester are due in December. Applications for Fall semester are due in August. If you are interested in applying, please contact Troy Markham for the current application. You will need to submit the application along with a copy of the class schedule for the semester in which you will intern, a resume, and a 3-5 page writing sample on a topic of your choice. Your writing sample does not need to be related to government or politics. It can simply be a piece of writing that you are proud of that demonstrates your ability to write and think critically. Please submit the application and your accompanying documents via email to Troy Markham markham.4@osu.edu.
Funding
All students selected to participate in the internship program will be eligible for a one-time $500 Gluck-Asher Financial Award credited to their student account at the end of the semester if they successfully complete all internship program requirements and earn at least a grade of a B in the appropriate section of Political Science 4191. This award is made possible through the generous donation of Ohio State alumnus Barry Gluck. Mr. Gluck generously donated in honor of Professor Emeritus Herb Asher to support students interested in starting a career in public service.
Questions?
Contact Internship Coordinator and Academic Advisor, Troy Markham.