The Charles P. Wolff Internship

Cecilia Espinosa

"I chose the Wolff internship during the 2024-2025 cycle because of its strong reputation for providing invaluable exposure to state and local government and higher education. The experience of navigating an election year, tracking evolving policy priorities, and analyzing the impact of administrative decisions on the State of Illinois and its universities was profoundly insightful. This deep, localized perspective, especially through gathering and engaging with scholars, proved vital in my successful interview for the Dunn Fellowship in the Office of the Illinois Governor, where I now serve on the Federal Affairs team. While I had prior federal experience, the Wolff internship provided the essential understanding of state and local politics needed to grasp the downstream effects of federal decisions. I hope to pursue a law degree and have a career in public interest law in the future which was reinforced by my time as a Wolff intern. I am deeply grateful for the staff I collaborated with at IGPA and the significant career doors this internship opened for me!"

Lindsay Semmelman

"Serving as a Charles P. Wolff intern at IGPA was an invaluable experience that allowed me to see the direct connection between academic research, public engagement, and policymaking. Through my work on communications, legislative outreach, and scholar relations- at all three Universities, I gained insight into how evidence-based research can shape meaningful dialogue and inform state policy decisions. Collaborating with faculty experts and supporting projects like legislative working groups gave me a strong foundation in both policy research and strategic communication. As I move forward in my career, I carry with me the skills and perspective I developed at IGPA, which continue to guide my commitment to advancing equity and civic engagement."

Aparna Ramakrishnan

"Working with IGPA as a Charles P. Wolff intern during the 2024-2025 academic year was an incredible opportunity to grow and learn from scholars across all three campuses as well as the supportive staff. From writing policy briefs to pitching potential interview topics, I was exposed to a wide range of policy and communications activities that propelled my growth and interest in this space. One of my favorite experiences was getting to interview Fred Wertheimer for the IGPA podcast. Learning about his impact on campaign finance and getting to meet him was an amazing experience. I am currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in public policy and will then pursue my M.D. in hopes of becoming a child and adolescent psychiatrist and continuing my research on children and youth with special healthcare needs within the Medicaid system. I am appreciative of the mentorship and support that IGPA provided me with this past year, and I will take these lessons with me going forward into my next endeavor."

Ethan Thuo

"I had the opportunity to serve IGPA as a Charles P. Wolff intern during the 2022-2023 academic year. It was one of the most, if not the most, academically and experientially rewarding opportunities I have had the pleasure of participating in during my four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As a political science major, I was very interested in observing and participating in the timely research IGPA conducts. While a Charles P. Wolff intern, I had the opportunity to assist IGPA staff and faculty in research related to Illinois eviction moratoriums in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and projects related to creating and providing programming opportunities for victims of racial trauma. I also had the opportunity to assist in the planning and execution of the IGPA annual Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government that was awarded to the former United States Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. I am currently a 2L at The George Washington University Law School, and the experiences and connections I gained while interning at IGPA undoubtedly propelled me to where I am now."

Steph Petrov

"Serving as a Charles P. Wolff intern during the 2021-2022 academic year was the optimal way to cap off my time as a political science major at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, giving me the unique opportunity to experience the synthesis of academic research and public policy first-hand. As the communications intern, I had a front-row seat to observe how research conducted at IGPA has real-world policy implications. Two particularly memorable experiences of mine included working on IGPA’s Access to Justice project and sitting in on meetings between IGPA staff and scholars and representatives from IDHS. I hope to pursue a joint J.D./M.P.P and continue to work in the public policy sector, a goal directly motivated by my time at IGPA. I am grateful to IGPA for providing me with a policy toolkit that will guide me through this next stage of my life."

Ali Mirza

"Throughout my time as a Wolff intern, I had the opportunity to witness how intellectual and empirical rigor can inform policy decisions, how experts in numerous fields navigate scholarly research, and meet with a wide range of policy makers. A highlight of my time with IGPA was working closely with senior scholars on a Policy Spotlight – transitioning the skills that I learned in the classroom to actual discussion of policy. Simply said, throughout the whole of the UI System, the Charles P. Wolff internship is second to no policy experience at the undergraduate level."