The Roger Perry Internship Program
We invite applicants for 2025 to review the information below and apply with us for our 2025 internships.
The Roger Perry Internship Program
Pioneer has established the Roger Perry Internship Program to support undergraduate and graduate-level students who seek opportunities to enhance their educational experience with practical training in an energetic and creative public policy environment. In providing students a foundation of knowledge in research, fundraising, communications, and marketing, we aim to build the next generation of policy leaders who will bring innovations to both government and the private sector.
Interns will be selected to assist Pioneer in three areas of the organization’s operation: government transparency, communications, and development. Additionally, Pioneer will provide opportunities for interns to meet with members of our staff, who will provide insight and commentary regarding their own professional careers.
Each intern will have a schedule of two full-time days per week. Internships run for 10 weeks, from mid- to late May until the end of July or early August.
Government Transparency Internship
The intern with a keen interest in public policy will act in the role of an investigative journalist and be trained to use Pioneer Institute’s government transparency websites on government revenue and spending, the economy, the labor force, and taxation. Using these websites, the intern will seek to uncover trends in government activities, job creation, interstate taxpayer migration, and other topics, as well as develop blogs to be published on Pioneer’s website. Throughout the internship, the intern will learn and develop hands-on experience in:
- Reviewing and evaluating data in order to identify pertinent facts and details based on templates and topics approved by staff
- Writing and editing findings in the form of blogs
- Working with Pioneer’s communications team to promote their work through social media
Requirements:
The ideal candidate will be a college rising junior, or or rising senior in communications, political science, journalism, or economics. Applications from all majors will be considered. The following characteristics will help the intern maximize his or her educational experience at Pioneer Institute:
- Exceptional writing skills
- Knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Experience using large datasets, including cleaning, filtering, and creating charts and other graphics
- Ability to work closely with staff and receive constructive feedback
- High motivation and superior problem-solving abilities
- Graphic design skills are a plus
- Internship is for two days per week – generally Wednesdays and Thursdays in the office
Communications Internship (one opening)
The intern will learn about Pioneer’s communications strategy, including expanding social media presence, email marketing, and managing relations with press/media. In addition, the intern will assist with maintaining and improving the Pioneer website. There will be training in e-marketing and opportunities to learn about nonprofit marketing strategy.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will be a college sophomore, junior, or senior in communications, political science, marketing, public policy, economics, communications, media, or a related field. Applications from all majors will be accepted, but the following characteristics will help the intern maximize his or her educational experience at Pioneer Institute:
- Proficiency in social media use for promotion purposes
- Some experience in web design preferred but not necessary
- High motivation and problem-solving abilities
- Availability for at least two days a week
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Internship is for two days per week – generally Wednesdays and Thursdays in the office
Development Internship (one opening)
The Development Intern will assist the Institute’s Development team in a variety of roles, including:
- Assisting with event preparation and execution
- Supporting donor research
- Assisting with digital programming and webinar series
- Creating and updating outreach and mailing lists
- Proofreading grant applications and reports
- Drafting and editing fundraising materials
- Providing additional administrative support to the Development team as needed
The ideal candidate will be entering their third or fourth year of college with a major in political science, journalism, economics, communications, or a range of areas relevant to think tank work. We’re looking for an intern who is committed to our nonprofit, public-interest mission and values. The following characteristics will help the intern maximize their educational experience at Pioneer Institute:
- Interest in fundraising and nonprofit administration
- Strong writing, research, and problem-solving abilities
- Highly motivated self-starter with excellent written/oral communication skills
- Familiarity with social media platforms and strategy
Throughout the course of the internship, the Development Intern will gain valuable nonprofit experience, learning and refining critical skills such as fundraising, marketing, grant writing, communications, and event planning.
Length of Internship
As detailed above, all internships will start in mid- to late May and will continue until the end of July or early August (10 weeks). Interns will be expected to commit to the equivalent of two full-time days per week.
Compensation
Pioneer will provide each intern a stipend of $2,500 upon successful completion of the internship.
How to apply
To apply, please forward a resume and a cover letter specifying the role for which you seek consideration to the following people:
Government Transparency: Mary Connaughton, mary@pioneerinstitute.org
Communications: Amie O’Hearn, aohearn@pioneerinstitute.org
Development: Caitlin Marple, cmarple@pioneerinstitute.org
Please be sure to include in your cover letter details regarding your interest in Pioneer and what you would gain from your experience with the organization.
The deadline for submission of all materials is Monday, February 17, 2025, by the close of business.
