Theodore H. Strauss Civic Internship Award
Are you interested in pursuing a summer internship in the fields of public policy, government, or politics?
About Award
The University of Texas at Austin undergraduate students are invited to apply for The Ted Strauss Civic Internship Award provided by the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, Moody College of Communication, to supplement their paid or unpaid internship in the fields of public policy, public service, government, or politics for the summer. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in your field while also receiving financial support.
Previous award winners have worked for CNN, the U.S. Department of Education, the United States Senate, Defenders of Wildlife, the Muscular Dystrophy Association among other organizations and governmental agencies. The goal of this award is to reduce financial barriers to exploring careers in public service and support students by providing additional funding to undergraduate students.
Requirements
The internship must be in the area of public policy, public service, government, or politics. Must be an undergraduate and not be graduating before December 2026. The internship must be a minimum of 10 hours a week for 10 weeks and must not include more than 25% clerical work. Course credit is preferred, but not required. The recipients will be expected to write a summary of their experience and to make a brief oral report, if requested, at the Annette Strauss Institute's advisory council meeting following their internship experience.
To apply, please submit the following in the application portal:
Contact information
Major field of study and current overall GPA
Resume (labeled: first and last name, Resume)
A Statement of Interest, 1600 character limit (labeled: first and last name, Statement of Interest)
Total Stipend Award
$2,500
Application opens: March 30, 2026
DEADLINE: May 4, 2026
Selections notifications will be sent out week of May 18, 2026.
2026 Recipients
Past Awardees
2025 Recipients
Elena Lopez, Eliana Arriaga, Zainab Choudry, Victoria Godinez, Sydney Baker
2024 Recipients
Alvin Xu, Rotem Cohen, Cecelia Owens, Lauren Campbell, Lilly Jarlsjo, Leah Tharakan, Kiana Marques-Nicholson, Emma Hamilton, Kalista Hein, Krrishh Kamal
2023 Recipients
Kayla Abramowitz, Carter Moxley, Mariana Gil Huerta, Pranathi Pilla, Justin Vargas
2022 Recipients
Alex Acosta, Zachary Krankauer Ganz, Emma Pham, Olivia Richert