PACON Internship Funding

    Current or past Public Affairs Conversation participants are encouraged to consider applying to participate in the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program. Priority for some spots will be reserved for PACON participants. *Only U.S. citizens are eligible to participate.

    Current or past PACON participants for whom the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program is not a good fit also have the opportunity to access a PACON Internship Grant Award to support unpaid or underpaid internships relating to public affairs. See below for details.

    Eligibility Guidelines for PACON Grant Award
    • Students must have completed the Public Affairs Conversation program as a first year. Students have until the of summer following their junior year to complete a PACON internship. Each PACON student is only eligible to receive one PACON Grant Award.
    • See the Guidelines and Policies for PACON Internship Program (for 2025-26) document
    • The internship must be a public affairs internship (as articulated in the Guidelines and Policies document). If you have a question about whether or not your internship meets the criteria for a “public affairs” internship, please email Professor Harris > and Nate Jacobi <jacobi>, Senior Associate Director in the Piper Center.
    • Students completing internships or research on-campus or where the employer would be St. Olaf are not eligible for funding.
    • International Internships:
      • See the Guidelines and Policies document
      • Students are generally not allowed to complete internships in countries with State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4. Please email <jacobi> at least two weeks before the deadline if you would like to apply for special approval to complete an internship in a country with a travel warning.
    Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program
    Award Levels for 2025-26
    Term Minimum Weeks and Hours Award Minimum Award
    Fall or Spring 4 weeks and 55 hours Eligible expenses (commuting) up to $1200 $400
    J-Term 4 weeks and 120 hours (some hours can take place during the breaks before or after Interim) Eligible expenses up to $2,500 $800
    Summer 8 weeks and 240 hours Eligible expenses up to $2,500 (up to $3,500 for international internships or high cost of living locations) + $1,500 stipend $1000

    *Compensation received from the employer will be subtracted from the award amount
    **Funding to students could be subject to income tax withholding per IRS and Minnesota state guidelines.

    Deadlines
    Fall and J-Term Internships: Apply for funding through the J-Term Internship Funding Program.
    Spring and Summer Internships: Apply for funding through the Summer Internship Funding Program.

    Academic Internship Requirement
    • Students who receive the PACON Award are required to register for academic internship credit and follow the guidelines and deadlines for Academic Internships.
    • When possible, students are asked to work with one of their PACON instructors as their faculty supervisor (this might not be possible for international students, see below).
    • International students:
      • You are required to earn academic internship credit for any internship in which you live in the United States for at least part of the internship.
      • The internship must relate directly to one of your majors.
      • Your faculty supervisor must be from the department that corresponds to your major (that relates to the internship).
      • Please contact Professor Harris > and Nate Jacobi <jacobi> in Piper Center if you are an international student who needs to find a faculty supervisor for a PACON funded internship.
    Application Process

    Before you apply, please email Professor Harris > (cc’ Nate Jacobi <jacobi>) to share a little about your planned internship and to see if it meets the criteria for PACON funding.

    If the internship has been approved by Professor Harris, follow the application process for J-Term Internship Funding (for Fall Semester or Interim internships) and Summer Internship Funding (for Spring Semester and Summer Internships).

    Terms of Agreement
    All grant award recipients are expected to do the following:

    • Students who are selected to receive a grant award are required to watch the Internship Orientation video
    • Complete the minimum hours requirement for each term (listed above). Recipients who do not complete the internship as described in their application will be required to pay back the full award amount
    • Complete a post-internship survey
    Funding is made possible through the Institute for Freedom and Community.