State of New York
Executive Chamber Internship Program

Introduction 

Governor Paterson’s Executive Chamber Internship Program offers an outstanding opportunity for motivated college juniors, seniors, new (or recent) graduates and graduate students to gain real world government experience working closely with the Governor’s staff.

Interns may be placed in the Appointments Office, Executive Chamber Operations, Intergovernmental Affairs, Legislative Affairs, Press Office*, Scheduling Office*, Office of the Secretary to the Governor*, State Operations, Special Projects*, as well as offices focusing on economic development, education, energy, the environment, health, and homeland security. The number of interns hired and the offices to which interns are assigned varies based on staff needs.

* Positions available in both New York City and Albany.

Intern responsibilities will range from administrative work to substantive research. All interns should be ready to work hard, learn quickly, and cooperate with a diverse team serving the people of New York State.

Eligibility

To be considered for an Executive Chamber Internship, students must be:

• A US Citizen or foreign national eligible to work in the United States;
• 18 years of age or older;
• A New York State resident or attending a New York State college, university, or law school;
• Available to work at least 20 hours per week;
• Currently enrolled as a junior or senior undergraduate, or graduate/law student; and
• Hold a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Application Process

In addition to the attached application, students must submit the following documents to the Internship Director by the application deadline: 

• Cover letter explaining why you are seeking an Executive Chamber internship;
• Resumé;
• Unofficial transcript(s) from every college/university you have attended;
• A writing sample of 1000 words or less; and
• Two letters of recommendation from professional sources

Click Here to Download the Internship Application in PDF format.

Internship Dates & Application Deadlines

        The deadlines for 2010 internship applications are as follows:

Selection Process

Upon submission of a completed application, the strongest applicants will be selected for an interview with a member of the Governor’s staff.  After the preliminary interview, the applicant may be selected for a second round of interviews with one or more offices that will best utilize her/his talents or interests.  Applicants will be notified of their selection on a rolling basis.  In the case of the fall semester, students will be notified before school begins.

Compensation

Most Executive Chamber internships are unpaid.  Some colleges and universities provide additional stipends, tuition waivers, or temporary loans to help cover internship expenses.

There are a very limited number paid positions available to students who are not receiving academic credit, or who demonstrate financial need.  To apply for one of these positions, please submit a letter from a college official confirming that your institution is unable to provide adequate financial assistance toward the cost of your internship.

Housing

Unfortunately, the Governor’s Office cannot provide housing for our interns.  Web sites with apartment and sublet listings and local universities’ housing offices may be helpful.  Interns seeking housing may also wish to contact each other through the Executive Chamber Interns Housing Listserv at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nychamberinterns.  

Questions

Frequently asked questions about the Executive Chamber Internship program are answered here. Please send additional questions to internships@chamber.state.ny.us. 

Click Here to Download the Internship Application in PDF format.