For U students who may be contemplating internships or politics-oriented programs, the Hinckley Institute of Politics is a place to start. Some students may not be aware of the opportunities the institute provides. In addition to state, national and global internships, the Hinckley Institute hosts several forums each week, featuring prestigious guests ranging from political leaders to authors.
“For over 50 years, the Hinckley Institute of Politics has been a national and international player in politics, internships and policy,” said Jason Perry, vice president for Government Relations. “We help provide the experiences that make our students immensely more employable with experience and maturity that businesses want these days.”
Although a political organization, the Hinckley Institute can be utilized by all students of all majors. One goal of the institute is to provide internship opportunities for anyone on campus. Some students who have interned in Washington D.C. have worked at places such as the White House and N.P.R. There are even internships available for those interested in areas such as environmental studies.
“We have internships everywhere in the world for every single discipline. We can provide students with a fantastic learning experience anywhere. We want people with all majors and all parts of campus to come and see us,” said Perry.
The Hinckley Institute provides funding for all internships, whether it be scholarships or through the internship organizations themselves. There are very few programs throughout the world that provide financial assistance for every student intern.
“Unlike most programs in the world, we don’t want cost to be the reason why someone doesn’t do an internship. We work very hard to raise funds,” said Perry.
In addition to the internship program, the Hinckley Institute publishes the only undergraduate Journal of Politics in the U.S. Comprised of student editors and contributors, the Hinckley Journal of Politics is published every year. The Hinckley is always seeking submissions from students for the journal.
During this election year, the Hinckley is hosting debate-viewing parties and forums regarding the election. There is also a campaign that has started to promote the new TurboVote app, which is a way for students to get registered to vote.
The Hinckley has moved from its home at the OSH building and is now housed temporarily in the old Law School Library (Building 73, Room 102). There is a new building being built to house the Hinckley Institute and is estimated to be finished the end of 2018. It will include a newly updated and expanded forum room.
For more information about other programs and updates at the Hinckley Institute, visit: hinckley.utah.edu.
“We are trying to expand the internship opportunities to all of campus. The kind of internship opportunities we are providing are ones that students all over the country want to get. There’s a huge impact on the professional lives of the students that go through the internships—they are more employable, have greater confidence, practice interviewing, and find the things they are passionate about,” says Perry.
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