CT Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG)

AGENCY:        

198 Park Road

West Hartford, CT 06119   

       OR

Box 02575                

Trinity College

 

INTERNSHIP CONTACT:  Natalie Johnson; email: natalie@connpirgstudents.org

 

AGENCY FUNCTION: 

The Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates in the public interest. For over 35 years, ConnPIRG has tackled critical issues from reforming health care to building a 21^st century transportation infrastructure to protecting consumers from unsafe food and products. We get results by researching solutions to critical problems, gathering citizen support for policy reform, building coalitions, educating the public and lobbying our decision-makers.

This year ConnPIRG’s priorities include getting the state to adopt a Zero Waste plan, stopping big banks from establishing predatory lending in Connecticut, helping thousands of students register to vote and mobilizing them to the polls on election day, watch-dogging the creation of the new state health care exchange, building citizen support to overturn the Citizen’s United decision which is allowing an avalanche of special interest money into our political system, and more.

We are hiring interns to work closely with full-time organizers and advocates to demonstrate support for our issues from local citizens, organizations, local elected officials and more.

INTERN ACTIVITIES: 
On-Campus (located in the FACES lounge, Mather basement): Interns will learn to apply college level research and scholarship to current local, state and national issues.  Interns coordinate events on campus, conduct research, lobby the state legislature, organize press events, and produce consumer publications.  [NOTE: students doing ONLY research should register an independent study, NOT an internship.]

Off-Campus:
Zero Waste Internship
Responsibilities may include:

• Conducting research on solid waste problems and potential solutions
• Drafting, designing and producing campaign materials
• Conducting outreach and building support from municipal leaders across the state
• Copying and compiling media articles on solid waste to be used in reports, newsletters, etc
• Maintaining database of supportive constituents and citizen volunteers

 Field Internship

Responsibilities may include:

• Creating a district by district database of demographic and political data for use in running statewide campaigns
• Working with the ConnPIRG director to identify target districts for power building in the upcoming legislative sessions.
• Building constituent support in state and congressional districts by recruiting volunteers, building coalitions, and producing earned media.
• Maintaining database of supportive constituents and citizen volunteers

HOURS PER WEEK:  10-12

 

INTERNSHIP AVAILABLE:  FALL:  Yes;   SPRING:  Yes;   SUMMER:  Yes

 

STIPEND:  No