Toward a Better Intern Program

Published on Friday, February 01, 2008
ARTICLES

Revamping your internship program, as Cascade Policy Institute recently has, will pay dividends for your organization, your donors and interns. Most importantly, an improved program will help advance the principles of liberty and markets more effectively.

During the summer of 2005, Cascade Policy Institute opened its doors to five talented, enthusiastic college students interested in furthering their knowledge of Oregon public policy. We stuffed them into a small office - armed with research topics, computers and their ingenuity - and let them have at it.

For the next two months, we added a field trip here, a lecture there, with the occasional networking event thrown in. By summer's end, the interns had produced a number of high-quality articles, research papers and op-ed pieces.

However, though it had been successful, we desired to improve the program. With intern and staff input, we crafted a unique educational experience for interns that would be challenging, interesting and fun.

In 2006, we launched the Cascade Summer Internship Program, which earned rave reviews. In 2007, we offered a more focused program, better suited to participant and staff needs. The Cascade internship experience now consists of an eight-week program, which includes:

• A full-day orientation introducing students to the world of public policy analysis.
• Weekly "Happy Hours," lively roundtable discussions with students, staff and guest speakers on public policy topics.
• Skill-building seminars on public speaking, research techniques and marketing public policy ideas.
• Field trips to the state capitol, Portland City Hall, state agencies, local transit-oriented developments and a nearby farm in Washington state.
• Weekly peer review sessions with an academic advisor/intern mentor.
• Recording weekly 90-second radio commentaries, broadcast at a local Portland business news station.
• Multiple opportunities to have original work published in statewide and local newspapers, magazines and blog sites, as well as feature interviews on radio and television.
• Networking events, as well as social events with staff and board members (cocktail parties, barbecues, white water rafting and day hikes).
• A graduation ceremony which provides interns with the opportunity to formally present summaries of their work to staff, board members and guests.
• A monthly stipend.

In addition to program changes, Cascade has experimented with different numbers of interns, educational requirements and schedules (part-time and off-site interns). We have concluded, having four full-time, on-site interns is the most workable arrangement.

We have also discovered that Cascade's program can be very challenging for undergraduates, thus we now ask that interns have completed a minimum of three years of college coursework. Graduate students receive preference for admission. With the increase in the educational requirement, we have found our interns have less interest in skill-building (although they appreciate public speaking opportunities), and more interest in having in-depth policy discussions with local experts.

Towards the end of the program, we assign the interns a group project, which involves using investigative techniques at off-site locations. This has proven to be a highlight for the interns as they are given the opportunity to design their research methods in order to work "undercover" in a public setting. The results of this group project are presented at the graduation ceremony.

Support for the internship program has increased, with three of the four positions fully funded. For a $5,000 annual donation, the donor receives one intern fellowship named in his honor plus recognition in Cascade's newsletter, quarterly mailings, and on our website. (The sponsorship covers the intern stipend, staff time, field trip and training expenses, admission to special events and other related program expenses.) Donors are invited to drop by the offices throughout the summer and to attend the graduation ceremony. Cascade also sends a packet of publications produced by the intern to the donor at the conclusion of the program.

For donors, interns, staff and our audience, the Cascade Summer Internship Program has proven to be a huge hit. Donors are able to directly enhance the educational experience of a college student. The interns enjoy an intensive two-month experience that introduces them to real world applications of policy research, analysis and presentation. Our staff appreciates the additional research assistance and perspective that this young group provides. Our readers enjoy the wide variety of issues presented and the fresh voices. Most importantly, we appreciate the chance to influence future civic leaders in a positive way and to work with them to expand our impact on their college campuses via referrals, expanded speaking opportunities and the launch of new policy-oriented student groups.

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Tina Pisenti is vice president of Cascade Policy Institute, located in Portland, Oregon. Write her at tina@cascadepolicy.org.