Students in the Public Service Intern Program (PSIP) represent a wide range of academic disciplines, interests, and backgrounds. Selection for the program is highly competitive and students in PSIP are chosen based on their strong academic standing, engagement in campus activities and the community, and above all, a demonstrated commitment to public service and living in Washington, D.C. for the summer. (PSIP-MI students may choose to live in Lansing or the city where their internship is located.)
Many DC and Lansing offices enjoy long-standing relationships with PSIP and expect strong internship candidates from the program each year. PSIP is the largest and oldest summer intern program in the country!
If you are interested in publicizing DC or Lansing summer internship openings in your office or would like to receive applications from PSIP participants for summer internships, please e-mail PSIP Supervisor Pete Vandermeer at [email protected] with a description of the position(s), required application materials, and your hiring timeline.
Timeline: PSIP participants are encouraged to apply for internships by mid-March and ideally have secured internships by the end of April. However, we are happy to work with you if your timeline differs from this, and often have at least a handful of PSIP participants who are still seeking internships at the end of April/beginning of May.
Expectations: Employers are expected to provide materials/technology needed to students to complete their work in-person, hybrid, or remote. We ask that students meet weekly with their supervisor, get feedback to improve & learn new competencies, and have the chance to interact with other staff to learn about career options. At the end of the summer, please have a wrap-up meeting with the student to discuss their strengths, lessons learned, and areas for improvement to help as they build their career.
If you want to post an internship position or have a question about a current PSIP intern, please e-mail either:
PSIP Student Coordinators - [email protected]
PSIP Supervisor Pete Vandermeer- [email protected]