Institute of Politics

Organization Overview:

Cook County Commissioners are elected representatives who serve Cook County and the Forest Preserves; they enact legislation at the County level and their offices assist residents in navigating County services. Commissioner Quezada serves Cook County’s 8th District, a vibrant area on the northwest side of the City of Chicago. The 8th district is a culturally and economically diverse district spanning 11 neighborhoods; known for its rich immigrant history, the district is home to 300,000 residents of Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Polish descent, among many other ethnicities. The Commissioner shares an office with Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who serves the 35th ward; the offices collaborate to ensure that residents receive city and County services. The Commissioner’s district office is focused on a progressive vision to support residents with all County-related issues through the lens of community organizing, and staff collaborates with residents to advocate for the long-term, systemic changes required to meet the needs of our communities.

Internship Summary:

Join the dynamic team of Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada and contribute to meaningful change in the vibrant 8th District. As an intern, you will work under the supervision of the Commissioner, the Chief of Staff, and the Policy Director at the district office, and will primarily help with policy research and may assist with day-to-day County service functions. Constituent service needs include answering phones, assisting constituents with requests, data entry, creating social media content, and developing community resources. The intern will work with the policy director to research policy and study issues that are affecting 8th district constituents.

Responsibilities:

• Conducting research on policy projects and studying issues affecting the 8th district.
• Compiling, tabulating, and analyzing data, as well as conducting research for reports.
• Assisting with data entry and maintaining office functions.
• Answering telephone calls, taking messages, and greeting visitors at the joint 35th Ward and 8th District office.
• Responding to resident inquiries and service requests, drafting both form and individual responses to resident mail and emails.
• Utilizing Google Suite for document creation, spreadsheet management, and database maintenance.
• Developing community resource guides to benefit district residents.
• Collaborating on other projects as directed by the 8th district team, aligned with intern interest.

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills for effective information gathering, inquiries, and conveying of information.
• Ability to empathize, support, and listen to the needs of residents
• Strong team player with keen attention to detail and accuracy.
• Self-motivated with problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or Google Suite.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferably, at least six (6) months of volunteer or paid work experience, with a particular focus on customer service experience
• Preferred fluency in verbal and written Spanish or fluency in verbal and written Polish

About the Supervisor:

Your internship supervisors will be Kristen Sparks, Chief of Staff, and Mateo Uribe-Rios, Policy Director.

Eligibility:

• Undergraduate students
• Graduate students
• Domestic and international students

Location, Modality, and Commuting:

The office is seeking one (1) intern, who will primarily be based at the 8th District Office at 2934 N. Milwaukee Ave. Unit C. Occasionally, the intern will also work out of our downtown office at 118 N. Clark St. Suite 1020. While some work may be completed remotely depending on assignments, any remote work will be pre-scheduled in consultation with the Chief of Staff. To get to the District Office, take the Metra downtown and then use the Blue Line to the Belmont Blue Line stop.

Start and End Date:

The Academic Year internships will take place according to the IOP’s timeline, with specific dates and weekly hours to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process:

• Onboarding: November – December 2024
• Intern Work Period: January – May 2025