Illinois Legislative Intern Program Taking Applications
African Americans are not participating in the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (ILSIP) at the same high rate that Caucasians are participating, according to Barbara Van Dyke-Brown, Director Legislative Internships and Advocacy Programs the University of Illinois at Springfield.
“This is one of the best opportunities out there and it’s the only way in,” said Van Dyke Brown. “We do a lot of outreach to the Black and minority colleges. We have two internships available; one is the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (ILSIP) which is a great way to get into a career in state legislation. Some interns move from a career in state government to a career in federal government from the opportunity and training these internships provide.”
Applications are being accepted for Legislative Staff Internships with Partisan Staffs and Research Internships with the state Legislative Research Unit.
For the Legislative Staff Internships, twenty intern positions are awarded annually with the four partisan staffs of the Illinois General Assembly, House Democrats, House Republicans, Senate Democrats, and Senate Republicans, each of the partisan staffs, have five positions to fill. Partisan staffs are directed by the legislative leaders and serve their party members within the House or Senate.
After training, interns perform the same duties as regular staff members which include analyzing bills prior to committee and floor action, analyzing budget requests from state agencies prior to committee and floor action, researching issues, drafting bills, handling press and member services and generally providing staff support for the legislative leader and members of the party caucus which selects them.
Applicants with undergraduate or graduate degrees in all fields are encouraged to apply. The most important skills needed are critical thinking and clear writing. Previous governmental or political experience is a plus, but not necessary.
For Legislative Research internship, three general research intern positions are awarded with the Legislative Research Unit (LRU), a bipartisan research agency of the Illinois General Assembly that researches a wide variety of questions on public issues for legislators.
Interns receive basic instruction in legislative processes, then, work on their own and with LRU staff to answer research requests. Research results are presented in memos to the legislators making the research request, general research reports and a variety of LRU publications provided to legislators and other policy makers.
With the capitol as both workplace and classroom, ILSIP interns earn eight (8) graduate credits in political studies from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
ILSIP interns work full-time for 10.5 months for a monthly stipend of $2,026, along with a tuition waiver for eight graduate credit hours and the option for student health insurance paid as a benefit of the program. The program accepts applicants from all academic backgrounds who have completed either an undergraduate or advanced degree. Applicants who are pursuing an undergraduate degree must have been awarded the degree prior to starting the internship.
“Interns go on to become lobbyist, or work with state agencies, non-profits and a variety of governmental positions, including at the federal level. It’s the kind of experience that you can’t get unless you’re here.”
Applications for either position are still being accepted. The March 1 deadline is basically for receipt of material but it’s still time to get your application in.
“We will continue to accept applications until all the positions are filled.
Final selections/placements are announced in May. Internships begin August 16, 2014.
For more information please visit http://ilsip.uis.edu or contact: Barbara Van Dyke-Brown, at (217) 206-6579.
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