organization
Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service
Sponsor
Lawrence "Larry" Roberts, Director of the Sorensen Institute
PURPOSE
Mission: The Sorensen Institute is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes and, more specifically, seeks to improve political leadership in Virginia through leadership and training programs, thereby elevating political and civic discourse and strengthening the quality of governance at all levels of government.
Goals: Support Sorensen mission in areas such as programs and curriculum, recruitment, development of financial resources, communications and media, alumni engagement, local community engagement, Virginia leadership research, and assessment of Sorensen's impact.
How intern will contribute: Work with staff, consultants, board members, donors, alumni, and external stakeholders to build upon Sorensen's strong reputation for developing in program participants values such as effective leadership, building trust, working together, civility, respect, and ethical behavior.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This internship will prepare intern for careers in any of the following:
- Communication, Outreach, and Publishing
- Industry and For-profit
- Government
- Academic and Research administration
- Non-profit
- Teaching
- Advocacy and Policy
- Consulting
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
This internship will provide experiences to develop and polish the following skills:
- Communication to diverse audiences
- Self and career Management
- Interdisciplinary team collaboration
- Thought leadership and innovation
- Knowledge of sector and networking
- Grant training and pitching for funding
- Problem-solving and analytical
- Teaching, mentoring and training
- Marketing
- Project management and leadership
RESPONSIBILITIES
The intern will be mentored by Larry Roberts, Director of the Sorensen Institute. Mentoring goals will include a dialogue about directing a political leadership program, managing and motivating staff, engaging with stakeholders and external communications, building financial support for a mission, and helping update programs designed for five different groups: mid-career leaders, emerging early career leaders, candidates for public office, college interns, and high school leaders. Learning outcomes will include the areas of leadership, staff and project management, collaboration development, training, marketing, innovation, funding, and stakeholder engagement identified above.
MENTORING PLAN
From the internship, the student should gain experience in: -Conducting practical public impact driven research survey design and gold standard methodological techniques for collecting primary data, -Working collaboratively within a team, -Project management, including handling multiple projects simultaneously, regularly switching tasks, and meeting tight project deadlines, -Data analysis and report preparation for a broad audience (i.e. not academic journals but a general public). The intern will also have the opportunity to become part of the larger team of professionals at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, with additional exposure to work in the area of public affairs and policy, public communications, and applied research for local and state governmental and non-governmental organizations.
DESIRED QUALITIES
We do not have a preference for a specific disciplinary background, although an interest in the governing and political process is helpful. Our program participants come from diverse backgrounds and are not all actively engaged in the political process. Many are community leaders in other substantive areas. We are looking for people who are comfortable working in a collaborative environment that emphasizes competence, effectiveness, empathy, and cooperative leadership skills. We want people who are comfortable working with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of regions, demographics, and political identifications. Good communication skills are also important as we teach and explore ways to manage conflict and navigate difficult conversations. We hope candidates will have good time management skills and a desire to engage in good project management, building financial support for the Institutes programs, and resilience in addressing the ever-changing political and governing environment in Virginia. Quality research and writing skills will also be valuable.
DURATION AND EFFORT
Fall 2021 or Spring of 2022. In either case, the internship may be a extended upon mutual interest. Typical effort in academic semesters is 10 hours per week.
FUNDING
Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service will fund up to $5000 per semester for this internship.