Institute of Politics

About the Organization: Founded in 2013 by David Axelrod, the Institute of Politics, a non-partisan, extracurricular organization at the University of Chicago, aims to inspire and cultivate the next generation of political and public service leaders. Four core programs form the heart of the Institute: civic engagement opportunities that enable students to experience politics-in-action through political exploration trips, leadership training, service programs and voter engagement projects; visiting fellowships where distinguished political officials, policymakers, journalists, diplomats and others are in residence on campus during an academic quarter; political and public service internships that provide students with paid, substantive career development opportunities; and a continuous series of public events featuring learxeh-mg5j-rj5eding political figures sharing their insights on key issues of the day.

The IOP House Intern program offers students the opportunity to work closely with IOP staff to facilitate operations and programming, playing a central role in supporting the IOP's many activities and initiatives. Interns gain valuable knowledge and skills in public and social service as well as in specific program areas. IOP House Internships are available to undergraduate and graduate students, are paid, and are eligible for work study.

Internship Description: The IOP Civic Engagement Programming Internship gives students the unique opportunity to develop skills in curriculum design, program planning, program evaluation, and peer advising; the intern will also serve as a thought partner to the Civic Engagement team. This internship position is available to undergraduates, is a paid position, and is eligible for workstudy.

During spring quarter of 2026, the incoming intern may be trained and onboarded by the current (outgoing) intern. The internship will then begin in a full-hours capacity in the fall of 2026 and continue through the end of spring quarter (June 2027). Selected interns will be required to attend mandatory training and onboarding sessions in late September with the rest of the house intern cohort.

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Assist with organizing and coordinating logistics for Civic Engagement programming, including transportation, lodging, venue rental, and food for local and domestic treks; serve as on-site staffing for some Civic Engagement programming; perform other logistics duties as assigned
• Assist with civic engagement curriculum development for local treks, Dialogue Dinners, and other special projects
• Assist with creating and analyzing evaluations of Civic Engagement programming; assist with writing summaries and reports of Civic Engagement programming for external and internal audiences
• Serve as a liaison to and between Civic Engagement staff, Civic Engagement student-run programs, engaged IOP students, and other student communities around campus
• Be a student resource for Civic Engagement student leadership concerning program planning and program design
• Serve as a thought partner to Civic Engagement staff on programming and curricular decisions
• Staff the front desk: greet visitors; answer the phone and direct requests appropriately; accept and sort mail and package deliveries (when in-person)

Qualifications:

• A demonstrated interest in politics, public service, and civic engagement
• A familiarity with Civic Engagement student-run programs, including The Gate, Leaders of Color, TechTeam, W+, UChiVotes, Spectrum and/or other student initiatives
• Highly organized with keen attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and confidentiality
• Excellent writing, research, and verbal communication skills
• Familiarity with Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Sheets
• Strong interpersonal skills, demonstrated initiative, and the ability to work both independently and within a team
• Applicants must be enrolled and taking classes at the Hyde Park campus for the duration of the internship.

Application Materials:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Hours: 10-15 hours/week

Compensation: $16.60/hour