Institute of Politics

Overview of the Organization: Since 2019, the Illinois Office of Broadband (IOB) has served as a single source for all things broadband. Housed within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the IOB partners with a range of state agencies and Illinois organizations to oversee a wide variety of broadband-related work, from infrastructure to utilization, public funding to private deployment. The office strives to be a useful resource to consumers, local communities, state agencies, and broadband providers alike.

Internship Summary: The Office of Broadband is seeking an intern to support the state’s implementation of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, digital equity projects, and other initiatives to ensure all Illinoisans are connected to quality, affordable broadband and have the skills they need to use their connection to participate in the modern economy.

Responsibilities:

• Support work of the Office by crafting presentations, synthesizing notes, writing policy memos, and conducting research
• Review, summarize, and analyze state and federal legislation and opportunities for comment related to broadband and digital equity
• Support project management of broadband infrastructure and digital equity programs
• Support community engagement, outreach, and coalition-building
• Track related federal and state legislation
• Conduct data analysis and visualization
• Conduct research on industry topics, such as digital skill-building, workforce development, and evolving broadband technology

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest in technology, broadband, infrastructure, or digital equity policy
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Skills in data analysis
• Excellent organizational skills
• Enthusiasm for learning new skills
• Familiarity using MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

About the Supervisor: Your supervisor will be Shawna Taets. Shawna is a Policy Analyst with the Illinois Office of Broadband and has spent the past 6 years working on broadband access. She led grassroot organizing efforts for digital equity, launched internet affordability campaigns across the country, and is currently working to ensure Illinois is successful in the launch of its BEAD and digital equity programming.

Location, Modality, Commute: 555 W Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60661

Start and End Date: Summer internships will take place during the period of June 1 - September 25 with specific dates to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process.

Required Materials:

• Resume
• Cover letter

What It’s Really Like: Intern Insights: Previous interns have reported that this position provides an opportunity to create impactful and substantive work, alongside the constructive guidance and communication from colleagues. Interns shared that they were able to develop strong policy analysis and research skills. Interns found the opportunity to learn more about the internal functions of a government agency to be particularly enlightening.

Interns stated that supervisors and colleagues were excellent team members, with a positive attitude and a great ability to cultivate a relationship with new additions to the team. Interns advised that this opportunity may be a good fit for students with less career experience who are looking for a pleasant introductory experience to office culture and collaboration.

Intern Pro Tip: Research the industry prior to starting the internship, including reading news articles on new developments from state and federal agencies and researching legislation structure to become familiarized with the process. Also, joining the team on location visits is a rewarding way to see a little more of the state.