Legislative Internship Program
Students participate in politics and government firsthand by working for a member of the Connecticut General Assembly during the spring semester.  Legislators in the General Assembly do not have large numbers of professional staff; as a result, interns typically have a good deal of responsibility and are well-integrated into the work of their legislator’s office.  Most students enroll in the program full-time, working 35-40 hours per week at the legislature for four course credits. Some students opt for the part-time internship, working 20 hours per week at the legislature for two course credits.  All interns participate in a weekly seminar offered by a Political Science Department faculty member. The seminar focuses on two things: it analyzes the substance and politics of the legislative process; additionally, it focuses on the scholarship on state legislatures, which grounds interns’ experiences in the Connecticut General Assembly in the larger context of legislatures nationwide. By combining practical experience in the real world of politics and government with the strong academic component of the internship, students integrate scholarship with experiential education, giving them a deeper understanding of both. Contact Prof. Evans (Diana.Evans@trincoll.edu) for more information.

Summer Internships
A student may do an internship for credit during the summer by registering for it as a summer course and completing appropriate academic work under the direction of a Trinity professor. Tuition is charged for summer internships on a per-credit basis.

The Directory of Internships indicates which organizations in Trinity’s program accept summer interns. For placements outside the Hartford area, the Career Services Office maintains extensive summer resource files.

CityTerm
CityTerm is a specialized internship program for Trinity juniors and seniors interested in city issues. A structured and academically demanding program, CityTerm addresses issues common to all cities, using Hartford as a laboratory and a classroom. CityTerm participants are enrolled either in a two-credit internship or in a four-credit “open semester.” Each student undertakes an internship with a local community organization or public sector agency, working two or four days per week. The group meets for a weekly seminar and all participants engage in extensive research and writing projects. (Not offered 2007-2008)

Open Semester
Self-designed open semesters are another option for students interested in pursuing independent work and research. Many open semesters include an internship component. Guidelines and application forms may be obtained from the Internship Office.

International Internships
Most of Trinity's global learning sites offer an internship option. In addition, many traditional study abroad programs now include an internship, for which Trinity normally accepts transfer credit.