Professional Development
These programs are invaluable: they help you learn about yourself, offer professional experience, and can offer a real-world look at public policy in action.
Local Government Interns
The Local Government Intern Program is an opportunity for students to explore careers in public service/public policy and provides students with a chance to gain experience in a local government agency or organization; while receiving support from the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and the Institute of American Civics. Students will learn professional development and the structure of local government through a biweekly class taken concurrently with your internship, students are eligible to receive 3 credit hours for the course. All internships will be between 10-15 hours a week and are paid.
The Local Government Intern program has partnerships with the City of Knoxville, Knox County, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, and the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Interns will be assigned to work in various local offices based on partner’s availability and student expertise. Past student internships have ranged from researching affordable housing, working with community members through the Police Advisory & Review Committee, and shadowing city leaders. The interests and experience of the applicant is taken into account for the position.
Student Eligibility
- Applicants must be enrolled in UTK as a full-time, undergraduate student
- Applicants must be in good academic standing with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Applicants can be undergraduate students of all majors, minors, and degree programs
- Applicants can be students of all classifications (i.e. freshmen, sophomore, etc.)
Academic Credit
Interns have the option of receiving academic credit through HBS 495: Special Topics in Public Policy (1-3 credit hours). Interns will meet bi-weekly to discuss their experiences and receive mentorship from Baker School faculty and staff. All interns will be required to attend the class meetings, regardless if they need the academic credit or not. The course date/times will be published in the application, so students will be able to keep that time open in their schedule.
Application Details
To apply, students will need to complete the following to Handshake:
- Complete the Handshake Application
- Professional Resume (1 page, pdf with name in title)
- Academic History
- Local government and policy interest
- Post-graduation career goals
- How this experience relates to personal goals and skills you want to develop
- Upload a response to this question: describe your policy interests in local government and indicate any local government departments you may be interested in.
Applications will open at a later date. Applications are accepted via Handshake.
Institute Fellows
The institute’s undergraduate fellows program will provide students the opportunity to attend local City Council, County Commission, School Board and Planning Commission, and other government agency meetings as they follow a project, topic, or function of government through the regulatory and/or approval processes.
Students will have regular meetings with IAC Interim Associate Director and Professor Emeritus of Political Science Bill Lyons, who also served as Chief Policy Officer for 16 years in the City of Knoxville. Here they will explore the structures, issues, and interests and their resolution in the local political arena. The goal is to increase student engagement in politics and their appreciation for the critical work of local government.
Tennessee Legislative Internship Program
For more than 50 years, the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program (TLIP) has provided students from across the state with the opportunity to experience Tennessee politics first hand and contribute to the democratic process by serving as interns in the Tennessee General Assembly. At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TLIP is jointly administered by the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy & Public Affairs and the Department of Political Science.
Student Eligibility
Applicants for the Tennessee Legislative Internship Program must be:
- Enrolled as a junior, senior, graduate student, or law student
- Pursuing degree programs in political science, law, history, social work, english, economics, sociology, communications, journalism, agriculture, or other related fields
- Maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
Internship Dates
Selected applicants will be appointed as legislative interns for the 2025 session of the TN General Assembly for the period of January 13 – May 2, 2025. (The appointment period is not concurrent with the semester calendar, and school holidays such as spring break are not observed by the General Assembly.)
Financial Support
UT interns will earn $8,000 during the spring semester and be paid on a weekly basis (approx. $500/week). This stipend will also cover a $400 relocation fee and allow for reimbursement for travel from Nashville to UT once per month (approx. $200 total). Students should note that all stipend payments including the relocation allowance are treated as taxable income.
Academic Credit
UTK students will have the ability to register for 12-15 hours of academic credit during their semester internship. The Baker School and the Department of Political Science collaborate to offer students courses that provide support and context for their internship experience. Further, we work with each individual student to determine which courses will keep them on track for graduation.
Duties & Requirements
Interns will be assigned to work in legislative leadership offices and committees from 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Duties will vary from office to office but may include bill analysis, constituent work, computer and library research, and general office work. Interns are expected to attend weekly intern meetings that are either guest speakers, site visits, or other socials with the student interns.
Application Process & Timeline
To apply for a legislative internship, students should do the following:
- Application: Complete the application through Handshake. The below materials will need to be uploaded to the Handshake application.
- TLIP Application: tiny.utk.edu/TLIPApplication (i.e. Chris Doe Application)
- Autobiography: Type and save as a separate pdf file a 2-3 page autobiography as described in the application that will enable the selection committee to learn more about you and your writing skills (i.e. Chris Doe Autobiography)
- Transcript: Scan a current copy of your transcript (not your academic history) and save this as a pdf file (i.e. Chris Doe Transcript)
- Resume: Save a pdf copy of your updated resume (i.e. Chris Doe Resume)
- Faculty Appraisals: Send the appraisal link to the 2 individuals identified on your application as faculty who will be completing appraisals for you. Please remind each appraiser to complete the survey submitted by noon on Friday, September 27, 2024.
- Appraisal Link: tiny.utk.edu/TLIPFacultyAppraisal
Applications Due: Friday, September 20, 2024.
All applicants are interviewed by the UT TLIP Selection Committee. The selection committee is comprised of members from the Howard Baker School, Department of Political Science, College of Communication & Information, and UT Institute of Agriculture.
Congressional Internship Program
The Congressional Internship Program is an experiential learning program designed to enhance students’ opportunities to gain professional experience in Washington, D.C. with a member of Congress, a Congressional Committee, a federal agency, or a non-governmental organization.
Students who are selected to participate will be nominated for an internship and receive support from the Baker School with securing an internship. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee an internship, students are responsible for applying for internships. Final hiring selections and decisions are determined by individual organization or congressional office staff. Most organizations provide a stipend or pay for interns, the total pay amount is dependent on the individual office or organization.
Students selected to participate and who receive an internship will be eligible for housing provided by the University of Tennessee at George Washington University. The program does not include additional stipends or moving expenses.
Congressional interns work closely with legislative staff on a variety of projects, as well as assist with clerical tasks, depending upon the office in which they intern.
Summer internships last from June 2, 2024 – July 25, 2025.
Academic credit is an option, depending on coursework and major.
Information Session: October 30th from 4 – 5 pm at the Baker School, room 118.
Eligibility
The program is open to all majors with an interest in government, public policy, public affairs, or related majors:
- Students who have completed at least two full years at the University of Tennessee are given priority; this does not apply to graduate students or law students.
- Must have at least a 3.0 and be in good academic standing with the University of Tennessee.
- Seniors graduating the semester of application are eligible to participate.
Legislative Offices’ Deadlines and Requirements
Each office’s individual procedure varies, but typically you will apply with the following: Resume, cover letter, and two-three references. Some offices also require an online application form, writing sample and recommendation letters from your references. Deadlines also vary; it is recommended to check each site to which you intend to apply and plan to submit applications at least two months prior to the desired internship session.
Application Details
Step One: Complete the application on Handshake, in addition to your application, you should upload:
- Updated Resume
- Transcript (Academic Record from myUTK is acceptable)
- Cover Letter addressing why you are interested in the Congressional Internship Program and how this internship program will align with your academic and professional goals. Your cover letter should address policy areas of interest.
- 2 Letters of Recommendation. Letters are to be sent to jsmithporter@utk.edu by November 18.
The deadline to submit the application is November 13, 2024.
Step Two: If selected, you will complete an interview with the CIP Selection Committee (comprised of staff and faculty from the Baker School and Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration)
Interviews are scheduled to take place the week of November 18, 2024.
Step Three: Students who are selected for the Congressional Internship Program are required to attend professional development training late in the fall 2024 semester. This session will provide information regarding the next steps in the program, including refining resume and internship application materials, explaining how to apply for internships and more.
Step Four: Apply for internships. The Baker School will help with internship placement and help share your application materials with employers in the Washington, D.C. area. We also will provide applications to all members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation.