Local Government Programs
The institute’s local government programs provide students opportunities to gain valuable experience in local offices and to observe and understand how city and county governments function and engage with citizens.
Local Government Interns
The Local Government Intern Program is an opportunity for students to explore careers in public service / public policy and provides students with a chance to gain experience in a local government agency or organization; while receiving support from the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and the Institute of American Civics. Students will learn professional development and the structure of local government through a biweekly class taken concurrently with your internship, students are eligible to receive 3 credit hours for the course. All internships will be between 10-15 hours a week and are paid.
The Local Government Intern program has partnerships with the City of Knoxville, Knox County, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, and the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Interns will be assigned to work in various local offices based on partner’s availability and student expertise. Past student internships have ranged from researching affordable housing, working with community members through the Police Advisory & Review Committee, and shadowing city leaders. The interests and experience of the applicant is taken into account for the position.
Student Eligibility
- Applicants must be enrolled in UTK as a full-time, undergraduate student
- Applicants must be in good academic standing with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Applicants can be undergraduate students of all majors, minors, and degree programs
- Applicants can be students of all classifications (i.e. freshmen, sophomore, etc.)
Academic Credit
Interns have the option of receiving academic credit through HBS 495: Special Topics in Public Policy (1-3 credit hours). Interns will meet bi-weekly to discuss their experiences and receive mentorship from Baker School faculty and staff. All interns will be required to attend the class meetings, regardless if they need the academic credit or not. The course date/times will be published in the application, so students will be able to keep that time open in their schedule.
Application Details
To apply, students will need to complete the following to Handshake:
- Complete the Handshake Application
- Professional Resume (1 page, pdf with name in title)
- Academic History
- Local government and policy interest
- Post-graduation career goals
- How this experience relates to personal goals and skills you want to develop
- Upload a response to this question: describe your policy interests in local government and indicate any local government departments you may be interested in.
Spring 2024 applications open on Wednesday, October 11 and close on Friday, November 3. Applications are accepted via Handshake.
Institute Fellows
The institute’s undergraduate fellows program provides students the opportunity to attend local City Council, County Commission, School Board and Planning Commission, and other government agency meetings as they follow a project, topic, or function of government through the regulatory and/or approval processes.
Students have regular meetings with Interim Associate Director Bill Lyons, who also served as Chief Policy Officer for 16 years in the City of Knoxville. In the meetings they explore the structures, issues, interests, and the resolution of conflict in the local political arena. The goal is to increase student engagement in politics and their understanding of and appreciation for the critical work of local government.