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Undergraduate Summer Internship

CLOSED

OVERVIEW

The Cicero Institute seeks talented undergraduate and non-traditional students to join our research team for a summer internship in Austin, Texas. Interns will support our public policy research team’s work to advance liberty and opportunity for all Americans. Interns will be immersed in our uniquely entrepreneurial culture, have exposure to multiple policy areas, and have ample opportunity for professional development and mentorship. Applications for the internship open on January 19, 2024.

REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must be:

  • At least a high school graduate, not currently enrolled in a graduate program, nor be the recipient of a graduate degree.
  • Willing to temporarily relocate to Austin, Texas, for the duration of the summer program.
  • Aligned with the mission of the Cicero Institute.
  • A strong writer and oral communicator.
  • Intellectually curious.
  • Self-driven and entrepreneurial.
  • Organized and able to manage multiple tasks.

Other expectations include a:

  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Genuine enthusiasm for learning about public policy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Internship Director, interns will be expected to:

  • Work approximately eight hours per day, Monday through Thursday, in our Austin office.
  • Support Cicero policy development through research, drafting, editing, and more at the direction of Cicero staff.
  • Author or coauthor an opinion piece for publication on Cicero’s website or in an external publication, under guidance of the policy area lead and the Internship Director.
  • Attend weekly individual check-ins with the Internship Director to discuss assignments, with the understanding that tailored assignments will balance interns’ interests with making sure staff requests are completed in a timely manner.
  • Attend bi-weekly cohort check-ins to share and present work from the prior two weeks, and to help one another complete assignments, as needed.
  • Write posts for Cicero staff to share completion of major assignments.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development opportunities for summer interns will include:

  • Events with Cicero staff and guest speakers, to include mentoring for navigating a career in public policy and exposure to top innovators in the Cicero network.
  • Publication of an opinion piece on Cicero’s website or in an external publication, under guidance from Cicero policy area experts and the internship director.
  • Individual writing workshops with Cicero staff.
  • A resume workshop with the Chief Operating Officer.
  • Opportunities to attend events with other Austin policy organizations over the summer.
  • One-on-one career advising from a Cicero staff mentor.
  • An exit interview with personalized professional development advice.

PROGRAM DATES

Cohort 1: May 28 to August 8, 2024
Cohort 2: June 17 to August 30, 2024

COMPENSATION

Interns will receive a $575 weekly stipend for 11 weeks.

TO APPLY

Applications are open January 19, 2024, and close March 1, 2024.

ABOUT THE CICERO INSTITUTE

The Cicero Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of policy innovators with deep experience in government, legislating, research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Together, we incubate, develop, and fight for policies that apply the principles of a free society and solve problems at the state level, impacting millions of Americans.

Just like the policies we advocate, we value experimentation, iteration, and honest assessment.

ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

“Cicero is the perfect place for any student from any background to learn how to think, approach problems, and make a genuine impact at a very young stage in their career. There is no other institution that will give young minds an opportunity like this.”

—Shehryar Jafry, Summer 2022 Fellow

“I will be forever thankful to the Cicero Institute for this opportunity. I learned how to navigate policy research, formulation, pitching, and finalizing. I reinforced my writing skills, expanded my professional network, and met lifelong friends and mentors.”

—Jakob Dupuis, Summer 2022 Fellow

“What makes Cicero stand out from other undergraduate internships or fellowships is the degree of liberty and exposure they give you. You have the freedom to choose which departments and scholars to work with, and the work is not watered down. With practice, you quickly graduate to higher-level work. At Cicero, I was able to co-create a healthcare policy and publish two op-eds on it. In no other internships I’ve considered would I be able to do anything near that!”

—Kate Farmer, Summer 2022 Fellow

“Cicero provides enough structure and guidance to introduce fellows to the public policy world. This is balanced by immense freedom and trust to do original work. Everyone was supportive and genuinely excited to share their ideas with us and hear our own thoughts.”

—Anthony Perez, Summer 2022 Fellow