Resources

Internships and Summer Funding

We offer an extensive database of opportunities to make the most out of your summer, school year, and graduate time. They are a great way to continue with the work and discussions we bring to campus through the Constitutional Studies and Menard Family Tocqueville Programs.

If you need assistance with applications, interview preparation, or summer planning, contact Soren Grefenstette (sorengref@nd.edu) for more information. The Center may be able to assist with travel and other expenses. To apply for funding, please complete this form. 

Undergraduate Internships and Fellowships Post-Graduate Opportunities Graduate Student Opportunities

Undergraduate Internships and Fellowships

• Acton Institute: Apply for the Acton Institute's Emerging Leaders Program, an internship for those interested in building a more free and virtuous society. As an intern, you will engage in substantive work in one of our five core departments (Communications, Operations, Programs, Research, or Bookshop). A core goal of the Acton Internship is that all leave with an increased ability to articulate the moral case for the free enterprise system. In essence, we are assisting interns in synthesizing ideas pertaining to faith and economics. This internship includes a $1,000 stipend and housing at Grand Valley State University.
   
• American Enterprise Summer Honors Programs: This opportunity is a fully-funded educational and professional development opportunity in Washington, DC, for top undergraduate students. Participants in the program have the chance to connect with the ideas, research, and network of AEI, by participating in an intensive one-week seminar with an AEI scholar or partner instructor. The core feature of the program is a series of discussion-based seminars that offer participants forums to delve deeply into policy areas of their choice. Outside of the seminars, students participate in briefings with distinguished guests, high-level networking opportunities, and site visits in Washington.
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• American Enterprise Institute Internships: This opportunity, based at AEI, provides students with an opportunity to work directly with some of America’s most renowned scholars, economists, political scientists, and foreign policy specialists conducting research on today’s prominent public policy questions. Deadline is rolling (the sooner the better!)
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• AEI Young Scholars' Awards Program: The AEI Values & Capitalism Young Scholar Award program seeks to foster high-quality academic research and writing by awarding $5,000 scholarships to up to six undergraduate students each year. Under the guidance of a faculty advisor at their school, selected students conduct year-long academic research projects on a topic of public policy or economics. Upon submitting their final projects at the end of the academic year, students travel to Washington, DC to present and defend their work before panels of experts.
   
• American Public Philosophy Institute: Hosted at the University of Dallas, this seminar will help students to understand the natural law public philosophy that was an essential part of the principles of the American Founding. This public philosophy is one that pursues freedom and prosperity and is grounded on the moral integrity of the culture and of our social and political institutions. 
   
• Becket Law: Becket is a non-profit, public interest law firm (focused on religious liberty). Their undergraduate internship program allows students the chance to litigate high profile religious liberty cases in the court of public opinion. The deadline to apply typically falls around mid-December, with the website providing more detailed information.
   
• Brookings Institution: 10-12 week program. Interns will have the opportunity to attend internal meetings, local think tank events, professional development workshops, and public Brookings events. In addition, interns may participate on Brookings sports teams and network with other interns throughout the Institution.
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• Buckeye Institute: The Buckeye Institute gives talented undergraduate students the opportunity to obtain valuable skills for careers in public policy, research, and beyond. Interns at the Buckeye Institute work directly with our staff and contribute to economic, policy, and legal research, communications, administrative support, outreach, development, and the organization’s other daily operations. This is an unpaid internship. Candidates interested in applying for the Buckeye Institute’s internship program should demonstrate academic excellence, outstanding verbal and written communication skills, and a commitment to free-market public policy.
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• Cevro Institute: This one-week seminar in Prague, Czech Republic focuses on the study of classical liberal ideas. Deadline is April 1.
   
• Charles Koch Internship Program: This paid, 10-14 week program provides motivated undergraduates with the opportunity to blend educational opportunities with meaningful work experiences. Through KIP, interns learn about impactful careers in social entrepreneurship, where leaders who come from walks of life and use their unique gifts to advance positive changes in society and help people improve their lives. See website for semester-based deadlines.
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• The Civitas Dei Fellowship: The Institute for Human Ecology at The Catholic University of America and the Thomistic Institute at the Dominican House of Studies will be hosting this year's Civitas Dei Fellowship, a competitive program for undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines. The theme of the fellowship is "Friendship, Happiness and the Search for God," and it will feature lectures by Professor Russell Hittinger, Fr. Dominic Legge, O.P., and Professor Michael Gorman. If accepted, students will engage in a wealth of thought and have the opportunity to critically consider the application of these ideas to both public and private life. The Fellowship runs from June 11-16, 2023 and will be hosted in Washington DC. It is fully funded, and accepted applicants will receive travel funding, lodging, and a waived registration fee. The application will remain open until March 31, 2023. 
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• Collegiate Network Journalism Internships & Fellowships: The Collegiate Network, housed within the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, provides students interested in journalism with summer internship and year-long fellowship placements at some of the nation's leading publications. The CN Journalism Internship is a 10 week project for undergraduate students, and the CN Journalism Fellowship provides recent graduates who are looking to begin their careers in media with a full year of paid professional journalism experience. See website for a full list of participating publications and for application information. 
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• Cook County State Attorney's Office Communications Intern:  With more than 1,200 employees, 754 of whom are Assistant State's Attorneys, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office is the second-largest prosecutor's office in the nation. The Office is responsible for the prosecution of all misdemeanor and felony crimes committed in Cook County, one of the largest counties in the United States. The Office is divided into seven bureaus: Criminal Prosecutions, Juvenile Justice, Special Prosecutions, Civil Actions, Investigations, and Administrative Services. The intern will support the external affairs with focus ranging from media relations, communications (including internal) and some digital projects. This position is unpaid, and internships are offered throughout the year.
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• First Liberty Fellowship: Hosted in January in Washington, D.C. by First Liberty Institute, the First Liberty Fellowship is a fully-funded, week-long intensive seminar for talented undergraduates interested in law, political theory, and public policy. Dates for the next First Liberty DC Fellowship will be January 2-6, 2024. Applications will open on August 1st, 2023. 
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• Forbidden Courses Summer Program: This summer, the University of Austin will be hosting two week-long sessions (JUNE 18-24 & JUNE 25-JULY 1, 2023) of the Forbidden Courses Summer Program in Dallas, Texas. Through this program, undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students will have the opportunity to meet and confront some of the most pressing issues of our time. Participants will also engage in seminars and attend lectures led by eminent scholars. The week long program is free to attend and includes a $300 travel stipend. Applications are due by April 3, 2023.
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• Heritage Foundation Young Leaders Program: This paid, 12-15 week internship program includes working up to 37.5 hours per week, and experiences with policy briefings, in-house mentorship, Heritage events, and a First Principles Series for interns. Deadline for the summer is February 20 (early) February 27 (final), and the deadline for the fall of 2023 is June 30 (early) July 15 (final).
   
• Hertog Foundation: Offers funded seminars on political theory and public policy throughout the summer and school year. The summer "Political Studies" program is a seven-week, funded fellowship in which students take courses in a wide variety of subjects, from political philosophy to contemporary public affairs, from economics to foreign policy. Students can apply to the seven-week program or participate in one to two week seminars, offered throughout the summer. Hertog also offers funded, weekend seminars during the school year.  
   
• Hoover Institution: The Stanford-based Hoover Institution runs a program in D.C. It accepts full and part-time interns for a 10-week period. Interns assist DC director, scholars, and staff with special projects, attend and report on briefings on Capitol Hill and other think tanks, and more.
   
• Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp: The Hoover Institution’s Summer Policy Boot Camp (HISPBC) is an intensive, one week residential immersion program in the essentials of today’s national and international United States policy. The program is intended to instruct college students and recent graduates on the economic, political, and social aspects of United States public policy. The goal is to teach students how to think critically about public policy formulation and its results. The program is funded, except for travel, and program dates for 2023 are August 13-17. Application deadline is March 1. 
   
• Hudson Institute: This internship is based at the Hudson Institute. Interns work a minimum of 15 hours a week in an unpaid capacity with expert researchers in areas ranging from National Security Studies to Food Policy and Political Theory. Deadline is rolling.
   
• Hudson Political Studies: This six-week, funded summer program is for undergraduates to broaden and deepen their understanding of public policy and American political principles. It combines the rigorous study of politics and political thought in a seminar setting, with policy workshops led by think tank scholars and experienced government officials, and also a distinguished speaker series of exemplary figures from public life. 
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• Illinois Policy Institute: Apply to work in the largest state policy think tank in the nation. Based in Chicago and serving Illinois, IPI's mission is to take free-market principles, transform them into marketable policy solutions, and pass them into law. 
   
• Intercollegiate Studies Institute Honors Program: This year-long fellowship begins in the summer with a funded, week-long seminar. It continues through the year with invitations to weekend seminars and contact with mentors and other members of the ISI network.
   
• Institute for Humane Studies: These funded, week-long summer seminars bring together aspiring academics and esteemed faculty for rigorous academic discussion that examine the merits and challenges of a free society. Graduate students and advanced undergraduates explore the profound necessity of liberty through interdisciplinary panels, lectures, and discussions.
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• Institute for Justice: The Institute for Justice offers opportunities for students to contribute to IJ’s cutting-edge constitutional litigation and advocacy work throughout the year. The Arthur D. Hellman Fellowship in Public Interest Law and Strategic Research Internships are offered in the summers, and the Development Internship is offered on a year-round basis. Stipends offered. 
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• James Wilson Institute: This internship is based at the James Wilson Institute on Natural Rights and the American Founding. Are you looking for a substantive internship that fosters intellectual growth while honing professional skills? Are you interested in law, philosophy, and America’s founding principles? James Wilson Institute interns perform critical work in carrying out our mission to transform the legal culture. Offering part-time and full time internships, both in-person and remote. Rolling applications, stipend provided. 
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• Knights of Columbus: Work for 8 weeks in New Haven, CT with the Knights of Columbus. Interns will be partnered with a mentor, assigned measurable projects, gain real-world work experience, and build a professional network of like-minded Catholics and mission-oriented individuals. This is a paid internship. 
   
• Lumen Christi Institute: The Lumen Christi Institute Summer Seminars in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition introduce participants to central themes, figures, and texts from the Catholic tradition. This year, they are offering seminars for graduate students, junior faculty, and undergraduates. See the individual application pages for details and application requirements.
   
• Philos Leadership Institute: The Philos Leadership Institute is a fully subsidized, 2-week summer institute designed for Christian men and women between the ages of 18-35 who have a serious interest in working in a field that impacts the Middle East. 
   
• Röpke-Wojtyła Fellowship: Through the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America, this fellowship for undergraduate seniors is a call on young Catholics to explore important questions of social philosophy, such as the makings of a good society, the civilizing aspect of commerce, and the tensions between markets and community. It consists of, throughout the year, three one-day colloquia in Washington, DC, with a fourth gathering in Rome. Fellows' receive a stipend of $3,500 in two installments.
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  The Savannah Seminar:  Spring program with all expenses paid for upper-level undergraduate students.
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  Shaftesbury Fellowship: Ten-week residential fellowship in Dallas for high-performing upper-level undergraduates and recent graduates.  Acceptance includes a stipend and housing as well as reading materials and a book and research budget.
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• Susan B. Anthony List: Students can intern at this pro-life think tank during the Summer, Spring, or Fall semesters in Washington D.C. The interns are responsible for a variety of duties at Susan B. Anthony List. Their time is partly devoted to assisting in the day-to-day operations of the organization. They are also involved in larger departmental projects such as political and legislative research, fundraising, and communications. Applications are due approximately one or two months before each semester begins. 
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• The Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society: This seminar was founded in 1992 by Michael Novak, Rocco Buttiglione, Father Richard John Neuhaus, Father Maciej Zięba OP and George Weigel to deepen the dialogue on Catholic social doctrine between North American students and students from the new democracies of central and eastern Europe. Taking place in Cracow, Poland, the seminar features classes and lectures on the topics revolving around culture, politics and economy of the free society, democracy and capitalism. 
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• Witherspoon Institute: Hosted at Princeton University, these seminars explore vital moral questions in social, philosophical, legal, and political thought. Topics include "Natural Law and Public Affairs" and "First Principles," as well as "Moral Foundations of Law" for law students.

Post-Graduate Opportunities 

• The Fund for American Studies: TFAS's Public Policy Fellowship is a year-long networking and education program designed to develop young leaders with a shared commitment to improving public policy. To apply, you must live and work in public policy in DC.
   
• Illinois Policy Institute: Apply to work in the largest state policy think tank in the nation. Based in Chicago and serving Illinois, IPI's mission is to take free-market principals, transform them into marketable policy solutions, and pass them into law. 
   
• Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism: The Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism provides a nine-month internship with The Wall Street Journal’s editorial team. This annual fellowship is open to recent college and journalism school graduates and journalists with less than five years’ experience. 
   
• Junior Fellows, First Things: This program is for graduating seniors and recent graduates. Fellows work closely with the editors to produce the magazine and its website. The one-year, full-time fellowship includes housing and a modest stipend. Deadline is March 13.
   
• Koch Associate Program: The Koch Associate Program (KAP) is a funded, year-long opportunity––job placement and coursework through Koch's Market-Based Management––for high-performing, early-career individuals to accelerate their professional growth. KAP equips associates with the principles, network, and resources to succeed as social entrepreneurs: leaders who come from all walks of life and use their unique gifts to advance positive changes in society and help people improve their lives. The summer deadline is May 31, though early decision is available if you apply earlier.
   
• Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship: Participants will have the opportunity to find placement as a paid, full-time journalist at a participating news outlet, joining colleagues who are passionate about journalism and the critical role of the free press in society. You’ll learn from each other, on the job, and from a robust, real-world curriculum presented by seasoned, professional journalists. 
   
• Public Interest Fellowship: A two-year program offering paid, full-time employment. Fellows will typically complete two professional rotations, each lasting approximately nine to 12 months. Outside of their jobs, fellows will complete studies in the tradition of freedom and the contemporary challenges to individual liberty and democratic self-government delivered through twice-monthly evening seminars and academic retreats; attend monthly dinners with prominent public figures; participate in professional development sessions; and take advantage of extensive networking opportunities.
  
  Shaftesbury Fellowship: Ten-week residential fellowship in Dallas for high-performing upper-level undergraduates and recent graduates.  Acceptance includes a stipend and housing as well as reading materials and a book and research budget.

 

Graduate Student Seminars and Fellowships

• Claremont Institute, Publius Fellowship: Each summer, Claremont brings together a selective group of promising young conservatives to study the distinctive moral and political principles of the American constitutional order. In over 40 intensive daily seminars and relaxed evening symposia, Publius Fellows discuss political philosophy and American government with distinguished scholars. Deadline is February 21, 2023.
   
• Clements Center: Join the University of Texas-Austin's Clements Center for National Security in Beaver Creek, Colorado for their graduate summer seminar in History and Statecraft. Applicants should be advanced doctoral students in history, political science, or policymaking.
   
• Institute for Humane Studies: These funded, week-long summer seminars bring together aspiring academics and esteemed faculty for rigorous academic discussion that examine the merits and challenges of a free society. Graduate students and advanced undergraduates explore the profound necessity of liberty through interdisciplinary panels, lectures, and discussions.
   
• Intercollegiate Studies Institute: Offers the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship for graduate students who intend to use their advanced degree to teach and the Henry Salvatori Fellowship to students doing graduate work related to the American Founding.
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• Lumen Christi Institute: The Lumen Christi Institute Summer Seminars in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition introduce participants to central themes, figures, and texts from the Catholic tradition. This year, we are offering seminars for graduate students, junior faculty, and undergraduates. See the individual application pages for details and application requirements.
   
• Witherspoon Institute: Hosted at Princeton University, these seminars explore vital moral questions in social, philosophical, legal, and political thought. Topics include "Natural Law and Public Affairs" and "First Principles," as well as "Moral Foundations of Law" for law students.