About The Education Trust
The Education Trust promotes high academic achievement for all students at all levels—pre-kindergarten through college. We work alongside parents, educators, policymakers, and community and business leaders across the country in transforming schools and colleges into institutions that serve all students well. Lessons learned in these efforts, together with unflinching data analyses, shape our state and national policy agendas. Our goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that consign far too many young people—especially those who are black, Latino, American Indian, or from low-income families—to lives on the margin of the American mainstream. For additional information on The Education Trust, please visit www.edtrust.org.
Internship Program
The Education Trust internship program is for individuals who believe that ALL students can achieve at high levels and want to work as part of a team committed to that goal. The program is designed for undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students who are capable of doing staff-level work under minimal supervision. Interns are treated as members of the staff and are expected to perform a wide variety of tasks.
Interns work in close consultation with designated Education Trust staff to develop and execute projects that will advance the organization’s agenda while allowing interns to broaden their professional skills and experiences. Intern projects are based on intern qualifications and interests as well as the needs of the organization. Currently, we are seeking interns for the following areas:
Higher Education intern
(minimum of 15 hours per week)
Assist with projects such as the following:
• Prepare tables and reports for the Access to Success (A2S) Initiative. A2S is a national initiative designed to increase the number of college-educated Americans and ensure that graduates include far more young people from low-income and minority families. A2S consists of 20 state university systems that educate more than two million undergraduates nationwide and represent approximately one-third of the low-income and minority students attending four-year public colleges and universities in the U.S.;
• Develop materials for the A2S website, including tables, interactive maps, fact sheets, and resource guides;
• Compile data sources for the next College Results Online update; and
• Coordinate logistics and follow-up on A2S meetings and conferences.
We are particularly interested in graduate student candidates with the following skills:
• Experience handling and analyzing data;
• Proficiency in Excel
• Background in statistical analysis; and
• Strong organizational and scheduling skills.
Communications and Government Affairs (GAC) - Field Intern
(minimum of 20 hours per week)
Assist with projects such as the following:
• Track education legislation in the states. Utilizing GAC’s access to our online StateNet resource, monitor the system for changes to legislation and policy; and
• Prepare a weekly report summarizing education legislation in the states that would be distributed to appropriate Education Trust staff members and external partners.
We are particularly interested in candidates with the following skills or background:
• A graduate student with a background and/or interest in public policy or political science; and
• Ability to read and synthesize significant amounts of legislation and provide concise, well-written reports.
Communications and Government Affairs (GAC) - Communications Intern
(minimum of 20 hours per week, with a daily schedule of Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m.)
Assist with projects such as the following:
• Compile and organize daily press clips, including Michigan clips;
• Compose “EdTrust in the News” communications – including logging and uploading details to Cision, and distributing to all staff;
• Track and evaluate media coverage on education issues, including monitoring daily blogs and press coverage;
• Research and compile briefing materials for interview preparation;
• Evaluate reporter targets;
• Assist with database management; and
• Research and assist in writing briefs.
We are particularly interested in candidates with the following skills or background:
• Detail-oriented, energetic individual to work with the Communications team in a fast-paced environment;
• Desire to work in a social justice-minded environment; and
• Knowledge of communications management platforms (Vocus, Cision, Nexis) is a plus.
Research Intern
(minimum of 10 hours per week)
Assist with projects such as the following:
• Prepare literature reviews summarizing the research on strategies schools use to improve student achievement for poor and minority students;
• Develop interviews, surveys, and focus group protocols for the collection of data from educators and students in successful schools;
• Analyze data from secondary data sources about students’ course taking in high school and aspirations for the future and achievement, to document gaps in opportunity; and
• Research the relationship between students’ preparation, access, and choice to different colleges.
Of particular interest:
• Studies in human development, psychology or educational research;
• Experience manipulating and analyzing data;
• Knowledge of NCES datasets;
• Background in statistical analysis (SPSS or SAS);
• Interest in the integration of research, policy, and practice; and
• Graduate student preferred.
Qualifications and Experience:
All applicants should posses the following qualifications:
• Knowledge of education policy and/or practice;
• Interest in, and familiarity with, quantitative data interpretation and analysis;
• Self-motivation and ability to work both independently and collaboratively;
• Eagerness to learn;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; and
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Application Process
Applications should include the following:
• Resume
• Cover letter (this must include availability and specific area of interest as it relates to current openings listed above)
• Writing sample (no more than five pages; sections from a longer paper are fine)
• Please indicate the position you are seeking in the subject line of your email (example: Intern, Higher Education)
Please send applications to intern2010spring@edtrust.org, attention: HR, Intern Spring 2010.
The Education Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity in all facets of the organization’s work.
