Internship Opportunities

Legislative Internships

Description of duties: constituent correspondence, legislative research, press releases, and event planning.

United States Senator Alex Padilla

  • Internships are available in the Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, and DC offices.
  • Instructions to apply: https://www.padilla.senate.gov/services/internships/
    • ​​​​​​​Use this link to apply to any of Senator Alex Padilla’s six offices. Please complete the application found at the link. When applying, please submit an updated resume and a cover letter in a single PDF.
  • If you have any questions regarding the application or internship please email Cal Poly alumni Jamie Bernal: Jamie_Bernal@padilla.senate.gov 

 

United States Congressmember Salud Carbajal

Capital Fellows Programs

  • Sacramento State University
  • Programs offered:
    • California Senate Fellows
    • Executive Fellowship
    • Judicial Administration Fellowship
    • Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship
  • Website: https://www.csus.edu/center/center-california-studies/capital-fellows/
  • Note: For graduating seniors only. Applicants must have completed their undergraduate degrees by September of the fellowship year.

 



    The Maddy Institute

     



    The Panetta Institute for Public Policy

     


    Federal and State Government Internships

    Description of Duties:  special projects, research, press releases, and event planning.

    Congressional Research Service

    • Contact: Rosafelina Anzures
    • 101 Independence Ave, SE
      Washington, DC 20540
    • Email: 
    • Website: http://www.loc.gov/
    • View "Career Opportunities" for information and application procedures for the internship programs.

     


       

      Department of Defense

       


       

      Department of State

       


       

      Department of Transportation

       


         

        Federal Aviation Administration 

         



        U.S. Secret Service

        • Contact: Student Programs Coordinator
        • Office of Government and Public Affairs
          245 Murray Ln
          Washington, DC 20223
        • Phone: (202) 406-6420
        • Website: https://www.secretservice.gov/careers
        • Please refer to the website for more information regarding the application process.
           

         

        White House Internship Program


           



            City/County Government Internships

            Description of Duties: special projects, research, cross-checking, updating forms, administrative duties.

            City of Arroyo Grande

             



            City of Pismo Beach

            • Contact: Jorge Garcia
            • Administrative Office
              760 Mattie Rd.
              Pismo Beach, CA 93449
            • Phone: (805) 773-7928
            • Web: www.pismobeach.org

             


               

              City of San Luis Obispo

               


                 

                City of Santa Maria

                 


                   

                    County of San Luis Obispo

                     



                    Election & Campaign Internships

                    Description of Duties: analysis of voter registration and election results, writing/presenting reports, working with/on precinct voter lists, organizing volunteers.

                    Project Vote Smart

                     


                     

                    San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party

                    • 3592 Broad St., Suite 100
                      San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
                    • Phone: (805) 546-8499
                    • Website: https://slocdp.org/internships-2/
                    • Please complete the online form to begin the process.
                       


                    San Luis Obispo County Republican Party

                    • 531 Marsh St., Ste. B
                      San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
                    • Phone: (805) 668-2064
                    • Website: www.rpslo.org
                       


                      Interest Group Internships

                      Description of Duties: research, administrative duties, public relations, etc.

                      Arms Control Association

                      • 1200 18th Street NW, Suite 1175
                      • Washington, DC 20036
                      • Email: internships@armscontrol.org
                      • Phone: (202) 463-8270
                      • Website: www.armscontrol.org
                      • Internships are available in nuclear weapons policy and communications. Please refer to the website for additional information  


                      Common Cause


                       

                      Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

                      • Contact: Crista Arias, Internship Coordinator
                      • 1128 16th St NW
                        Washington, DC 20002
                      • Email: 
                      • Phone: (800) 392-3532 or (202) 543-1771
                      • Website: www.chci.org

                         

                        Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (previously Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs)

                        • Contact: Sara McEwan, Senior Talent Engagement Officer
                        • 1828 L Street NW, Ste. 710
                          Washington, DC 20036
                        • Email: smcewan@cnfa.org
                        • Phone: (202) 296-3920 x67
                        • Website: www.cnfa.org

                         




                          Greenpeace Summer Semester


                          Institute for International Education

                          • 530 Bush St., Suite 1000
                            San Francisco, CA 94108
                          • Email: iiesf@iie.org
                          • Phone: (415) 362-6520
                          • Website: www.iie.org
                          • Focus is on education, cultural exchanges, and international relations.
                             

                           

                          Project on Government Oversight (previously Center for Defense Information)


                             

                            Sierra Club Legislative Office


                               

                              Sierra Club Magazine (SIERRA)



                                U.S. Chamber of Commerce

                                • 1615 H Street NW
                                  Washington, DC 20062
                                • Email: 
                                • Phone: (202) 659-6000 or (800) 638-6582
                                • Website: www.uschamber.com
                                • Please refer to the website for application and additional information.
                                   



                                Pre-Law Internships

                                Description of Duties: client contact, legal research, office work, liaison with media, status reports from courts, legal analysis, reading legal documents, writing letters and motions, attending court (if applicable).

                                Students must contact Ron Den Otter (denotter@calpoly.edu) or Jennifer Denbow (jdenbow@calpoly.edu) before applying to pre-law internships. Note: Dr. Den Otter will be on sabbatical for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

                                 

                                --Criminal Justice Internships--

                                 

                                Restorative Partners 

                                 

                                San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office - Victim Witness Assistance Center

                                Please note that criminal matters handled by the District Attorney’s Victim/Witness Assistance Division are confidential and may involve graphic and highly sensitive information. Completion of an application and a formal background check are required prerequisites.

                                 

                                Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office – Santa Maria Branch     

                                 

                                --Private Practice Internships--

                                Amber Heffner

                                • Immigration Attorney
                                • Amber Heffner Law
                                • 2087 10th St. Suite A, Los Osos, CA 93402
                                • (805) 316-0592

                                 

                                Curtze Legal Offices (Arroyo Grande)

                                 

                                Egan Family Law

                                • Contact: Kristin Black
                                • Kristin@judeeganlaw.com
                                • Phone: (805) 332-3984
                                • 420 E. Cook Street, Santa Maria, CA 93454

                                 

                                Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc.

                                 

                                Irene V. Moore

                                • Office Administrator
                                • Hall, Hieatt & Connely, LLP
                                • 1319 Marsh Street, Second Floor, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
                                • (805) 544-3830
                                • IMoore@HHC-SLO.com

                                     

                                    Law Offices of William Ausman

                                    • Contact: Tammy Campbell
                                    • Email: bookkeeper@atownlaw.com
                                    • Phone: (805) 466-4800
                                    • 8320 Morro Road, Atascadero, CA 93422

                                     

                                    Pick Law Office

                                     

                                    Shell Beach Law Group (Shell Beach)

                                    • Contact: Brian Kreowski
                                    • 1435 Shell Beach Rd., Shell Beach, CA 93449
                                    • Phone: (805) 773-5661

                                     

                                    Victor J. Herrera

                                    • Carmel & Naccasha
                                    • Contact: Lori Ingan
                                    • 694 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
                                    • (805) 546-8785
                                    • lingan@carnaclaw.com

                                       

                                      --Government/Public Interest Legal Internships--

                                      California Rural Legal Assistance

                                       

                                      Deputy County Counsel

                                      • Contact: Brian J. Stack
                                      • Email: bstack@co.slo.ca.us
                                      • Phone: (805) 781-5400
                                      • 1055 Monterey Street, Suite D320, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

                                       

                                      Lumina Alliance (formerly RISE and Stand Strong)

                                      • Legal Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in SLO
                                      • PO Box 125
                                        San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
                                      • Phone: (805) 545-8888
                                      • Website: www.luminaalliance.org

                                       


                                      San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation

                                       

                                      Santa Maria Office of Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara

                                             

                                            --Judicial Internships--

                                            Note: Students need at least a 3.2 GPA to be eligible for a judicial internship.

                                            San Luis Obispo County Superior Court (Paso Robles)

                                            • Contact: Dr. Den Otter or Dr. Denbow for more information.

                                             




                                            Media Internships

                                            Description of Duties:  administrative, research, writing, and public relations.

                                            C-SPAN Internship Program

                                            • 400 N. Capitol St., NW Ste. 650
                                              Washington, DC 20001
                                            • Website: www.c-span.org
                                            • Fall, Spring, and Summer terms available.

                                             


                                               

                                              KSBY-TV

                                              • Contact: Doug Barden
                                              • 1772 Calle Joaquin
                                                San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
                                              • Email: 
                                              • Phone: (805) 597-8404
                                              • Website: www.ksby.com

                                                 


                                                Non-Profit Internships

                                                Description of Duties: communications, government relations, research, writing.

                                                American Red Cross

                                                • 225 Prado Rd., Ste. A
                                                  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
                                                • Phone: (805) 543-0696 x4
                                                • Website: www.redcross.org


                                                Big Brothers / Big Sisters

                                                • Contact: Mark Ibrahim
                                                • 142 Cross St., Ste. 140
                                                  P.O. Box 12644
                                                  San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-3029
                                                • Phone: (805) 329-1956
                                                • Website: www.slobigs.org/
                                                   


                                                California Rural Legal Assistance



                                                California Youth Connection

                                                • Contact: Lupita Ducharme, Intern Supervisor
                                                • Email: Lducharme@fcni.org
                                                • Phone: (805) 503-6278
                                                • Contact Lupita Ducharme for additional information about this opportunity.
                                                   


                                                The Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County



                                                Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)



                                                Community Action Partnership (CAPSLO)

                                                • 1030 Southwood Dr.
                                                  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
                                                • Phone: (805) 534-3668
                                                • Email: volunteer@capslo.org
                                                • To apply: Fill out the Volunteer Application form available on the CAPSLO website http://www.capslo.org/menus/volunteer.html. Note on the form that you're applying for an internship rather than a volunteer experience.

                                                                    

                                                Lumina Alliance- Formerly RISE & Stand Strong


                                                 

                                                Restorative Partners 

                                                Transitions Mental Health Association (TMHA) Homeless Outreach, Advocacy, and Meaningful Education (HOAME)



                                                 

                                                Political Consulting Internships

                                                Description of Duties: communications, public relations, research, and writing.

                                                McAllister & Quinn, LLC

                                                • Contact: Katie White
                                                • 1030 15th Street, NW Suite 590 West
                                                  Washington, DC 20005
                                                • Email: Kwhite@jm-aq.com
                                                • Phone: (202) 296-2741
                                                   


                                                Meridian Pacific, Inc.

                                                • Contact: Rita Hosmann
                                                • 212 S. Main Street, Ste. 206
                                                  Templeton, CA 93465
                                                • Phone: (916) 648-1222 
                                                   


                                                Public Policy Solutions




                                                Public Policy Internships

                                                Description of duties: Research, writing, communications, government relations. 

                                                The Brookings Institution

                                                • Contact: Rob Wooley, Internship Coordinator
                                                • Governmental Studies Program
                                                  1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
                                                  Washington, DC 20036-2188
                                                • Email: 
                                                • Phone: (202) 797-6090
                                                • Website: www.brook.edu
                                                   


                                                Institute for Policy Studies

                                                • Contact: Emily Norton, Internship Coordinator
                                                • 733 15th St. NW, Ste.1020
                                                  Washington, DC 20005
                                                • Email: emilyn@ips-dc.org
                                                • Website: www.ips-dc.org
                                                • A variety of internships are offered. IPS encourages applicants to apply for more than one internship.
                                                   


                                                Public Policy Institute of California

                                                • 500 Washington St., Ste. 600
                                                  San Francisco, CA 94111
                                                • Phone: (415) 291-4400
                                                • Website: www.ppic.org
                                                • Summer internships only in San Francisco and Sacramento offices and last up to 3 months, ideally beginning June 1st. Application deadline is February 21st.
                                                   

                                                 

                                                The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

                                                Related Content

                                                <>