How to have a big impact in government: listen to this podcast from 80,000 Hours
You’re 29 years old, and you’ve just been given a job in the White House. How do you quickly figure out how the US Executive Branch behemoth actually works, so that you can have as much impact as possible – before you quit or get kicked out?
That was the challenge put in front of Tom Kalil in 1993.
He had enough success to last a full 16 years inside the Clinton and Obama administrations, working to foster the development of the internet, then nanotechnology, and then cutting-edge brain modelling, among other things.
But not everyone figures out how to move the needle. In today’s interview, Tom shares his experience with how to increase your chances of getting an influential role in government, and how to make the most of the opportunity if you get in.
He believes that Congressional gridlock leads people to greatly underestimate how much the Executive Branch can and does do on its own every day. Decisions by individuals change how billions of dollars are spent; regulations are enforced, and then suddenly they aren’t; and a single sentence in the State of the Union can get civil servants to pay attention to a topic that would otherwise go ignored.
Read more here.
Inclusion Summit in DC in August
This was shared by an alum who is helping organize. Sounds great!
Do you care about inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and social justice (IDEAS)? So do we! As students, young professionals, and rising leaders, we need inclusive spaces to express ourselves, exchange ideas, and collaborate on bringing these values to life.
The Inclusion NextWork was formed to realize this vision. Our team is thrilled to announce our first ever, in-person summit: IDEAS for the Future. Let’s come together to:
- Convene rising leaders passionate about IDEAS to connect and build networks and community
- Exchange IDEAS experiences and expertise in support of our individual and collective learning
- Co-create a vision and agenda for the future of IDEAS to share with our communities and organizations
The IDEAS for the Future Summit will be held in Washington DC on Friday, August 23rd and Saturday, August 24th. We invite you to join us and other IDEAS advocates and leaders to learn from each other and co-create the future IDEAS platform that emerging leaders can use to drive real change in their communities. This conference is highly interactive and participatory and therefore limited to 50 participants, so register today!
All the details here: https://www.inclusionnextwork.org/ideas-for-the-future-summit
Ending Hunger at Home: Seminar in DC
Greetings from the Congressional Hunger Center! We are pleased to invite you to attend our 2019 Summer Seminar Series: Ending Hunger at Home.
The series is a valuable educational opportunity for students – this series of five half-day, expert-led learning sessions will take the form of panels, workshops, and learning simulations covering domestic and global hunger, the forces that drive them, and effective policy remedies. Professional and leadership development topics are woven throughout the curriculum, so all participants will develop their knowledge of hunger and public policy in addition to their leadership skills.
Registration is free of charge and open to all summer interns in Washington, D.C.
Attendance at all sessions in strongly encouraged, but not required; individuals who attend at least 4 of the 5 trainings will receive a certificate from the Hunger Center. All interns are welcome! Learn more and sign up here
Pre-Law seminar this summer – apply now!
ASAP – Achieving Success in the Application Process is a two-day pre-law summer seminar which focuses on the law school application process. The primary goal of ASAP is to help prospective law school applicants understand the importance of factors in the admission process that are often overlooked or undervalued.
Who Is Eligible for ASAP?: College juniors, seniors and post-graduates who plan to apply to law school can participate in ASAP.
Deadline: Deadline Extended – APPLY NOW!
Cost: $100
Check out these locations across the country:
New York Law School
June 22-23, 2019
Howard University School of Law
June 29-30, 2019
South Texas College of Law Houston
July 13–14, 2019
The University of Chicago Law School
July 27–28, 2019
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
August 3-4, 2019
More information and application instructions are here: https://cleoinc.org/programs/asap/
Govern for America – start up in NYC wants recent grads
Govern for America is a startup nonprofit working to build the next generation of public sector leaders. Through a two-year paid fellowship, we recruit, train, and connect exceptional recent graduates to high-impact roles in state and local governments across the country and empower them to transform the systems that we interact with on a daily basis. We imagine a world where our most dynamic young leaders see government as an avenue for meaningful change, and our governments reflect the values and diversity of our nation. GfA believes that by engaging America’s top talent we can better meet the needs of all residents while revitalizing public service as an attractive career path for recent graduates and building a diverse leadership pipeline into government.
This position is a core member of the founding team and will report to the COO. As the Associate grows and learns, they will have the opportunity to take on increasing responsibility. The individual serving in this position should be excited to roll up their sleeves and work on projects in a diverse set of areas including: recruitment, selection, training, fundraising, internal operations, data management, research, strategic direction, and fundraising. This individual’s work will help GfA grow and develop better systems to achieve its mission of building the next generation of public sector leaders.
Learn more and apply now to the Operations and Special Projects Associate role in Handshake here: https://middlebury.joinhandshake.com/jobs/2736192/share_preview
Public Service and Leadership Conference in DC
Job in global health policy, in DC, via alum referral
Georgetown University Law Center’s O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law is seeking a Program Coordinator to support the Institute’s Global Health Policy & Governance and Healthy Families Initiatives.
These initiatives are engaged in advancing human rights and public health through research, policy tracking, litigation support, and capacity building, working with partners primarily in Africa and Latin America. The position will be responsible for assisting with day-to-day operations of both Initiatives and enabling smooth functioning of their respective administrative and programmatic needs.
See full details and apply here.
DC Summer Mentorship Program
The DC Summer Mentorship Program, a 5-year collaboration between Middlebury in DC and the Middlebury College Center for Careers and Internships (CCI), is a summer program intended to complement your internship in any industry in Washington, DC. Each student enrolled is assigned an alumni mentor in their chosen industry. The program consists of one-on-one meetings with your alumni advisor as well as workshops, panel discussions and an important networking event for Middlebury students and alums in Washington.
Application deadline: Rolling admission but please try to enroll by May 15 so there is sufficient time to find you a mentor.
Program Description:
Students interning in Washington in a wide variety of industry will receive an alumni mentor in their industry that will guide and advise them on career choices.
During the summer DC Midd Mentor students will come together for a series of workshops:
- Interviewing Workshop
- Resume and Cover letter writing workshop
- Major networking event with Middlebury alums.
- Career panels.
2019 Program Dates:
Middlebury in DC will run in June and July.
Eligibility:
Any current Middlebury College student even those that have graduated are eligible to apply, regardless of major. This program is open to international students.
To Apply: https://forms.gle/XyNoRsN1xq52X76X6
CapitolWorks 2019: Summer Congressional Internships in Washington, DC
CapitolWorks, a collaboration between Middlebury in DC and the Middlebury College Center for Careers and Internships (CCI), is a summer program intended to complement your internship on Capitol Hill and allow Middlebury students to put theory into practice by learning first hand, how federal policy is developed in the United States.
The program consists of workshops and panel discussions and other program activities during the summer outside of their internships. Program activities will be led by Middlebury alumni holding important positions on and around Capitol Hill. Contacts with Middlebury alumni are an important part of the program and each intern accepted to this program will automatically be enrolled in the DC Midd Mentor Program and be assigned an alumni mentor. CapitolWorks Program participants will receive a $100 metro card from CCI.
Application deadline: Wednesday, May 15, 11:55 PM Eastern Standard Time. Students should not apply to participate in CapitolWorks until you have already secured your Washington, DC-based internship. Space is very limited! If accepted you will also be automatically enrolled in the DC Mentorship Program as well.
Program Description:
Students will intern at a wide array of Senate and House offices. All offices must be located in Washington, DC. Program participants must be independently accepted at one of these internships in order to participate in this program.
During the summer CapitolWorks students will come together three times to meet with a Middlebury alumni professional working in and around Capitol Hill. These days will include a combination of:
- In-depth analysis of the legislative process on Capitol Hill
- The roll of lobbyists in public policy
- Career conversations with experienced Middlebury alumni on Capitol Hill
2019 Program Dates:
CapitolWorks will run in June and July. The exact start date depends on each congressional office. (Only students who can participate in June and July should apply.)
Compensation:
CapitolWorks students will be awarded a $100 metro card.
Eligibility:
Any current Middlebury College student that is not a graduating senior and wishes to learn about how the federal government of the United States works is invited to apply, regardless of major. CapitolWorks is open to international students.
Academic credit is not granted for participation in CapitolWorks.
To Apply: https://forms.gle/izoRZddpciUxQf8q9
Legal job in Burlington, VT
If you’re interested in staying local, this is a small office where you can learn a lot and use some new skills.
Spend two years with our firm as our office manager/legal intern. In addition to carrying out all of the administrative tasks necessary to run the office, you will have daily contact with existing and potential clients. You will be involved with immigration, criminal and domestic cases from start to finish.
As the first point of contact with our firm, you will be the initial confidante for distressed clients reaching out to us. Opportunities will arise for you to increase your law-related research and writing responsibilities depending on your capabilities.
Legal tasks include gathering information from clients; preparing drafts of forms; organizing discovery in files; tracking cases; drafting correspondence; drafting fee agreements; drafting motions; collecting documents from courts and filing documents with courts; and performing electronic document searches and research.
The firm is called Bothfeld & Volk. Apple HERE in Handshake.