The Senator Ted Stevens Legislative Internship Program enables qualified students from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) to earn college credits while working in the Alaska Legislature.
Alaska legislative interns work full time in the Alaska State Legislature in Juneau, placed in the office of one State Senator or Representative. In addition, students participate in a demanding academic program. Students who complete the program earn twelve undergraduate credits or nine graduate-level credits. Credits are typically delivered as PS (Political Science) but the internship can also be taken as internship course work in ANS (Alaska Native Studies) or PADM (Public Administration).
Funding of stipends for students comes largely through a generous donation from the Ted Stevens Foundation.
Program Timeline
- November 1
- Complete application packets due, 11:59PM
- Early November
- Possible interviews with campus coordinators
- Mid-November
- Students notified regarding acceptance
- November 30
- Student acceptance deadline, 11:59 PM
- December 15
- Placement deadline: students must find a placement and notify the statewide coordinator by this date. Legislative offices must forward their acceptance of the placement as well.
- January 9
- Interns due in Juneau (approximate)
- January 10–11
- Legislative orientation (approximate)
- January 14
- Beginning of legislative session (approximate)
- January 29
- First evaluation due
- February 13
- Second evaluation due
- March 4
- Third evaluation due
About Ted Stevens
During his 40 years representing Alaska in the U.S. Senate, Senator Stevens invited students from across the state to participate in his internship program in D.C. They witnessed first- hand how the Senator tackled difficult issues, worked collaboratively with diverse groups, developed innovative solutions, and championed important legislative initiatives, including:
- Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
- Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act
- Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act
- American Fisheries Act
- Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act
He was a national leader on pension reform, women in sports, health care, telecommunications, transportation, and aviation.
The Ted Stevens Foundation’s support of the Alaska state legislative internship program fosters his commitment to education and public service for the next generation of Alaska’s leaders.