Treffer: A Roadmap for Establishing a Successful Internship Program in State Capitals and Beyond

Public service internships are an established pedagogical tool in political science. Decades of scholarship on teaching and learning highlight how hands-on practicums can enhance students' substantive learning, professional development, civic values, and multicultural tolerance. Despite the proliferation of research on the student benefits of internships, faculty have received much less information on structuring and administering a successful internship program. We profile a public service internship program we have coordinated for over a decade on behalf of a public university in a state capital. We provide a roadmap for others looking to inaugurate or fortify their internship offerings in their state capital or local epicenter of government. We share our program's goals, student composition, academic curricula, sample syllabi and assignments, and other pragmatic considerations. Alumni survey results underscore how the program fosters innumerable expressive and instrumental benefits to students' civic values and professional preparation. By sharing this template, we aim to facilitate the implementation of impactful internship programs in state capitals and beyond, promoting experiential learning and place-based pedagogy in political science education.

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