KIP Spring 2027 - Trustee & Government Affairs Intern - The American Council of Trustees and Alumni

Stand Together

Washington, DC

On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Candidates with policy research experience and communication skills will find this mission-driven role in higher education advocacy and stakeholder engagement in Washington, DC.

Best fit for

Individuals with experience in policy research and stakeholder communication
— “Research higher education policy issues in response to constituent inquiries”
Those who have worked with or are familiar with university governance structures
— “Maintaining national networks of university trustees and elected officials”
Candidates who are proactive and entrepreneurial in their approach to work
— “The intern is expected to be ... proactive approach to ACTA’s programming activities”

Things to consider

Geographic flexibility is required for in-office work in Washington, DC
— “applicants must be able to reliably commute to the ACTA office”
The role requires full participation in KIP programming, including online and on-site components
— “Attending the entirety of the online and on-site KIP programming is required”

How to stand out

Highlight prior experience in drafting policy-related correspondence or communications
— “Draft correspondence, policy statements, and publication materials”
Demonstrate familiarity with database management or large-scale stakeholder tracking systems
— “Ensure quality control and effective administration of ACTA’s college and university database”
Emphasize your ability to work independently and with personal accountability
— “act with the highest degree of personal responsibility, accountability, and honesty”
Showcase experience in executing targeted outreach or campaign coordination
— “Manage direct mail and email campaigns, coordinate mass mailings”

Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

successful policy statements
effective constituent outreach

Typical background

political sciencepublic policycommunications

Skills & requirements

Required

Policy ResearchConstituent OutreachDatabase ManagementCommunication

Preferred

Project ManagementEvent Planning

Stack & domain

Corporate GovernanceHigher Education PolicyConstituent OutreachDatabase ManagementDirect Mail CampaignsEmail CampaignsEvent CoordinationPolicy AnalysisCommunicationTeamworkProblem-solvingAttention To DetailProject ManagementNon-profitHigher EducationGovernment Affairs

About the role

Original posting from Stand Together via Lever

The Koch Internship Program (KIP) is a paid experiential learning program run by Stand Together Fellowships that offers professional development, leadership training, and meaningful work experience at non-profits tackling some of our nation's most pressing policy challenges all over the United States. Early-career professionals including undergraduate/graduate/law students and recent graduates are encouraged to apply. Eligible candidates will be geographically located in and authorized to work in the United States through the duration of the program. Successful candidates will interview with both our non-profit partner organizations and Stand Together Fellowships staff, so we strongly encourage you to begin the admissions process early!
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) seeks a motivated Spring 2027 Intern for the Trustee & Government Affairs (TGA) department. The TGA Intern supports ACTA’s mission to advance academic excellence, academic freedom, and accountability across higher education. Working directly with the Director of External Affairs, the intern plays an active role in maintaining national networks of university trustees and elected officials while executing targeted communication strategies.
This role is Washington, DC based, and applicants must be able to reliably commute to the ACTA office. Hybrid arrangements may be considered for exceptional candidates.
To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter.
Specifically, the TGA Intern performs the following tasks::
Draft correspondence, policy statements, and publication materials directed to higher education stakeholders and governing bodies.
Assist with constituent outreach to trustees, governors, policymakers, and higher education leaders. Research higher education policy issues in response to constituent inquiries and collaborate on cross-departmental outreach initiatives.
-
Ensure quality control and effective administration of ACTA’s college and university database of over 23,000 trustees.
-
Manage direct mail and email campaigns, coordinate mass mailings, and fulfill constituent resource requests.
-
Provide operational, logistical, and research support for trustee publications, departmental events, and ACTA’s board seminars program.
The TGA Intern must approach these tasks as an entrepreneurial enterprise, requiring an understanding of and proactive approach to ACTA’s programming activities. The intern is expected to be personable, dynamic, well organized, highly motivated, and principled, and to act with the highest degree of personal responsibility, accountability, and honesty.
Compensation:
Stand Together Fellowships pays participants a stipend of either $7,500 for full-time participants working approximately 32 hours per week at the partner organization, or $5,500 for part-time participants working approximately 24 hours per week at the partner organization. Attending the entirety of the online and on-site KIP programming is required for both full and part-time participants.
Stand Together Fellowships believes that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. Our admissions office treats all program participants and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (including medical needs which may arise from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Source: Stand Together careers (Lever)