The Student News Site of Weber State University

The Signpost

The Signpost

The Signpost

The Signpost

Latest YouTube Video

Walker Institute offers internship opportunities for students

The Walker Institute of Politics and Public Service is offering students the chance to intern in government offices both in Utah and in Washington D.C.

The deadline to apply for internships in Washington D.C. is Oct. 8. Students who haven’t yet applied and want to can call the the Walker Institute at 801-626-6406 with any questions about the application process.

Students who go on these internships need to be ambitious and willing to take a chance. They must submit two writing samples, a resume and references.

Students in these internships can be awarded college credit. The internships are often on political campaigns and at government offices.

untitled (1 of 1)
Walker Institute interns Mandie Barnes, Abelardo Saucedo, India Nielsen, Director Carol McNamara, Sarah Gribble, Shaylee Owen and Walter Rosio show their Weber pride. Ninety-one percent of employers expect college graduates to have had an internship. (Source: Walker Institute)

The internships can apply to all majors and are available all semesters.

Students can go to weber.edu/walkerinstitute and look up the application process, as well as all of the different internships that they can apply for.

“What’s really unique about us is that it is really prestigious to be able to go to D.C.,” said Alexis Marquez of the Walker Institute. “Not only to get the experience, but I believe also because of who you get to work with and the networking opportunities for students.”

Students who have had an internship will stand out after graduation and when applying to grad school.

Even during an internship out of state, students can be full-time students via online classes.

Two summers ago India Nielsen, a communications major in civic and legal advocacy, did an internship at a non-profit health organization in Washington D.C.

“Doing those internships, moving out of state for a while and having those experiences really opened my eyes to all of the possibilities and made me realize how grateful I am for the opportunities I have at Weber State,” said Nielsen, a senior now. “There was very specific type of learning to the different internships.”

Nielsen is doing her fourth internship this semester. She believes that it is important to have the internship experience during college for the future when students are applying for jobs.

Seventy-five percent of college graduates have had at least one internship, according to the institute. Of those who have had internships, 70 percent of them feel prepared to enter the workplace. In addition, according to the institute, 91 percent of employers expect graduates to have had an internship.

Nielsen says that her favorite internships have been when she was interning for the Walker Institute on campus during the last academic year. She is passionate about Weber State and getting other students involved in the political process and government.

Ashlee Cawley, a political science and English major, served an internship last summer in Sen. Orrin Hatch’s office.

“It really impacted my professional life and has really increased my professional field,” said Cawley. “I was able to network. Going into the internship sometimes I doubted myself, and I was able to work really hard and get recognition from others.”

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

Comments written below are solely the opinions of the author and does not reflect The Signpost staff or its affiliates.
All The Signpost Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *