November 6, 2012

By Leslie Howard

Nearly 300 students from almost all majors have participated in full- or part-time internships in government offices, government agencies and the state legislature with the help of the Civic Leaders Internship Program, [according to the program’s website](http://clip.missouri.edu/index.html).

The program has been offered for 13 years, but CLIP recently announced it has received funding from Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Jim Spain, which will provide scholarships for about 50 students.

The funding will ensure that all of the students who want to participate in this program and learn about their government have the ability to balance the extra costs it entails, such as daily transportation to Jefferson City, Office of Service Learning director Anne-Marie Foley said.

For full-time interns, 15 to 20 $2,000 scholarships will be available, and about 30 smaller stipends will be available for part-time interns.

“The goals of the program are to serve the state of Missouri and to provide a positive educational program for students,” Foley said. “The internships help (students) discover skills and abilities they have to help them contribute to the public good, as well as see how their government works.”

To apply for the program, students first attend a workshop where they find out how the program works. They then submit applications and their transcripts and go through interviews. Finally, they are placed in their respective internships, Foley said. Due to the new additional funding, applications for the program will continue to be accepted for the next few weeks.

“We want (applicants) to be solid students at the university with an interest in community service and serving the state,” Foley said. “Our program is said to be competitive, but you’ve probably already competed if you meet our profile.”

Once placed in an internship, interns have a variety of different responsibilities.

“Generally most interns (do) a lot of work tracking legislation, taking notes at committee meetings and caring for their official’s constituents,” said junior Ethan Todd, who interned for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder last spring. “I had a fantastic experience in my office and was able to focus in on tasks that I had personal interest in.” 

Todd said he recommends CLIP without hesitation.

“I think the CLIP program does an excellent job in providing a hands-on internship that fosters professional growth,” said senior Valerie Speck, who participated in the CLIP program during the Spring 2011 semester. “The CLIP program offered me a reputable internship with the state government, incredible opportunities and experiences with legislators and lobbyists that I could not have gotten elsewhere, and real skills that I could transfer to other jobs.”

Speck interned for Rep. Mike Colona, D-Mo.

“There is such a variety in the work you do in the CLIP program,” Speck said. “No two days at the Capitol are the same, I promise.”

After her CLIP experience, Speck worked as an editorial intern for Hallmark Cards last summer.

Speck said she applied many skills she used and learned during her CLIP internship when at Hallmark. She said she developed more of an interest in politics and highly recommends the program to students of all disciplines.

“Not only will you gain real-world job experience,” Speck said. “You will develop an understanding of politics that you simply cannot get anywhere else.”