Internships Home || Tallahassee Internship || 2024 Tallahassee Interns
The application period for the next cohort of the Bob Graham Center Tallahassee Internship Program is now closed.
Although the internship is currently closed, the information remains available to assist future applicants in learning more about the opportunity.
This is an in-person internship and requires a time commitment of 40 hours per week.
For your convenience, please download a copy of the application to familiarize yourself with its components before you begin completing it.
Virtual Information Session
Drop-In Advising Q&A
In addition to the scheduled info session, Dr. Kevin Bird is holding remote drop-in office hours for one-on-one advising on your application. Take advantage of this opportunity to get personalized guidance and answers to your questions.
Join the Zoom || Thurs., Sept. 12, 3-4:30 pm
About the Internship
The University of Florida Bob Graham Center for Public Service and UF Office of State Relations are pleased to sponsor public service internships for undergraduate UF students in the Florida state legislature during the 2025 Spring semester.
In recent semesters, UF students have served in a range of Republican and Democrat offices including:
- Sen. Keith Perry (R- District 9)
- Rep. Chuck Clemons (R -District 22)
- Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-District 6)
- Rep. Yvonne Hinson (D-District 21)
- Sen. Lauren Book (D-District 35)
- Rep. Ashley Gantt (D-District 109)
- Rep. Kristen Arrington (D-District 46)
- Rep. Dana Trabulsy (R-District 84)
- Rep. Robin Bartleman (D-District 103)
- Sen. Lori Berman (D-District 26)
The Tallahassee Internship Program coincides each spring with Florida’s legislative session. Placements generally include positions within the state, but may also include positions in lobbying organizations or the UF Office of State Relations.
Since its beginning in 2009, over 170 students have served as interns in Tallahassee.
Read about the 2024 Tallahassee interns.
Interns play a key role in maintaining smooth office operations by handling front-line constituent relations, supporting communications, and managing essential administrative tasks.
Additional duties may involve attending hearings, drafting reports and legislative updates, taking on special projects aligned with the student’s interests and skills, and assisting with event planning and staffing.
In addition to their intern duties, students take a course on Florida politics and attend a number of seminars (virtual or in person) featuring major political and policy actors in the state. Students can earn additional academic credit through online courses or an independent study with UF faculty. Interns are required to live and work in Tallahassee during the full duration of the legislative session.
All currently enrolled undergraduate academic majors are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be hardworking, eager to learn, open to constructive feedback, and demonstrate professional qualities such as attention to detail, initiative, and a strong passion for civic engagement, public service, policy, and politics.
A minimum of a 3.0 GPA is required for this internship. Preference will be given to Junior and Senior standing students with at least one semester completed at UF.
A review of candidates will begin with applications turned in by 11:59 pm on Sunday, September 15, 2024, receiving priority, and will continue based on factors including residency in the above-mentioned districts.
Selection factors also include academic performance, professional experience, and stated policy interests.
Visit our FAQs below to learn more.
Directly working in Tallahassee allows students to have one-on-one opportunities with industry professionals and develop meaningful networks that will be useful in the future. Alums have gone on to campaign for local, state and national elections, attend graduate school, serve in progressively senior roles as public policy fellows and political aides, or work for these organizations:
- Florida Gubernatorial Fellows
- Teach for America
- New York City Urban Fellows
- Peace Corps
- White House Interns
We welcome student applicants with a broad range of interests, including healthcare, environmental policy and education. Students selected for these internships will develop industry knowledge and professional networks that better position them for future fellowships and career opportunities in these fields.
Florida Blue Tallahassee Intern
In partnership with Florida Blue, the Bob Graham Center has created the Paul Sanford Florida Blue Tallahassee Intern whose placement will focus on pressing health care issues taken up in the 2025 Florida legislative session.
Paul Sanford was a long-time, well-respected lobbyist for Florida Blue and is memorialized through this internship to pay tribute to his professional service.
The intern will be expected to exemplify dedication to the public good. They will be placed in an office with a health policy focus to be determined before the beginning of the session. At the end of the term, the student will provide a written report to the Graham Center summarizing the internship, their responsibilities and the value they took from the experience.
Students with an academic major in the public health field or demonstrated interest and experience are encouraged to apply.
Timeline
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 — Applications open. Apply at this link.
Thursday, 4 p.m. September 5, 2024 — Virtual Information Session. Sign up now.
Sunday, September 15, 11:59 pm — Priority deadline closes.
Monday, September 16 2024 — Review of applications begins; application may remain open if needed to fill all positions.
For questions about the Tallahassee Internship Program, please email Dr. Kevin Bird, kevin.bird@ufl.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Internships Home || Tallahassee Internship || 2024 Tallahassee Interns