Overview

The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program provides paraprofessional employment opportunities for SIUC and SIUE undergraduate students.  Students selected into the Governmental Internship Program are able to work directly for an Illinois legislator in his/her district office or in the office of one of the state agencies in a position that is related to his/her career/academic discipline.  In addition, the student is enrolled in an internship course and receives credit toward the fulfillment of his/her course requirements.  These positions are salaried, and students selected into the program are able to earn up to $960 per month.  The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program does not provide a tuition or fee waiver to the student.

Legislative internships will be coordinated through the Office of the President, while the internships in the state agencies will be coordinated through the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIUC and the Career Development Center at SIUE.  Positions are available for fall, spring, and summer, depending on the availability of funds.  Under special circumstances, such as one in which it would be necessary to avoid any perceived conflict of interest, placement of interns may be handled other than as outlined above (for example, the Office of the President may handle placement of an intern in a state agency).

Governmental Internship Policy

General Eligibility:

1. The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program is available to undergraduate students at both SIUC and SIUE. No restrictions are made with respect to discipline.  The internships are highly competitive, and every effort will be made to ensure that the most highly qualified students are selected .
2. The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internships are salaried positions. Students are paid on a monthly basis. Students who work 60 hours per month will be paid $720 per month, and students who work 80 hours per month will be paid $960 per month.*
3. The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internships do not provide a tuition or fee waiver.
4. The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internships are not eligible for Federal Work-Study funding.

* Rates are established by and may be modified by the Office of the President.

Position Eligibility:

1. The Vince Demuzio Governmental Internships are a paraprofessional employment opportunity for the undergraduate student.  These positions provide a level of service or responsibility different from that of other student employment positions on campus.  It is the responsibility of the Office of the President, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC), and the Career Development Center (SIUE) to ensure that this distinction exists.
2. Undergraduate students selected for a Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship perform their internship experience in a legislative office or state agency and have no teaching responsibilities.
3. Undergraduate students selected for a Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship are expected to have a work experience related to their career/academic discipline.  It is the responsibility of the department and/or college sponsoring a student to assure that this relationship exists between the position and the internship experience.
4. Undergraduate students selected for a Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship must have direct, ongoing contact with a faculty member and be enrolled in an internship course each semester of the internship, except summer.  This requirement is waived for the first semester if the internship begins six weeks or later into the semester.  Interns enrolled in a field practicum required for their major may use that course to fulfill the academic requirements of the internship, provided part of the course assignments relate to the Demuzio internship experience.
5. Undergraduate students selected for a Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship are paid from state funds.  Funds will be transferred to the Office of the President, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC), and the Career Development Center (SIUE) for approved internships.

Student Eligibility:

1. Students must have a minimum of junior status and be in good academic standing.
2. Students must maintain full-time academic status through the period of the internship (minimum of 12 credit hours during fall and spring semesters and 6 credit hours during summer session).
3. Students must have and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 overall and/or 3.00 in the major on a 4.00 scale.
4. Students must maintain good academic progress as determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
5. Students must be willing to commit for a one- to two-year period of time.
6. Concurrent enrollment in a two- or three-credit-hour internship course is required for fall and spring semesters, with the exception of the first semester if the internship begins six weeks or later into the fall or spring semester.  As noted above, interns enrolled in a field practicum required for their major may use that course to fulfill the academic requirements of the internship, provided part of the course assignments relate to the Demuzio internship experience.
7. Students selected for the internship experience may, upon evaluation at the end of each semester, hold the internship position for up to eight semesters or up to the date of commencement, whichever comes first.
8. Upon graduation, if a student elects to continue additional undergraduate studies, provided that the student is full-time enrolled and provided that an internship position is available, the student may be allowed two additional semesters in the internship program to complete a second degree or additional coursework needed to gain entry into graduate school.  The student will be placed in a different office than the initial internship; for example, if the student worked for a legislator during the first appointment, the student will need to seek a state agency position for the second placement.  As in the initial placement, the student will be required to maintain eligibility requirements and follow program policies for the additional two semesters .
9. University policies regarding students holding multiple positions will apply for this internship program.
10. Security-sensitive positions may require the state agency to conduct a pre-employment background investigation, which includes a criminal background check, before any offer is made.

Governmental Internship Procedures

1. The student community at both SIUC and SIUE is notified of the Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program via University websites. Students meeting the eligibility requirements are encouraged to review the information provided on the websites and to apply. Each student will follow the application procedures detailed in the online brochure and on the application form.
2. Application forms are available from the above identified offices as well as electronically via the Web at southernillinois.edu. Students completing the Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship application for placement in a legislative district office must submit their materials through their respective school/college dean’s office to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students completing the Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship application for placement in a state agency must submit their materials through their respective school/college dean’s office to the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC) or the Career Development Center (SIUE), as appropriate.
3. The Office of the President and the legislator review the applications and select students for the legislative internship program. Student finalists can expect to have one or more interviews. All applicants will be notified of the decision.
4. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC) or the Career Development Center (SIUE) and the state agency staff review applications and select students for the state agency internship program. Student finalists can expect to have one or more interviews. All applicants will be notified of the decision.
5. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC) or the Career Development Center (SIUE) sends the name and student identification number of selected applicants along with the completed hiring forms to the Human Resources office at SIUC or SIUE. Authorization for this job classification is pursuant to 2 Policies of the Board A 10(a) Undergraduate Assistantship. The following hiring forms are required.

SIUC

1. Notice of Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Appointment
2. Personal and Professional Data Sheet
3. Federal W-4/IL W-4 Tax Forms
4. Electronic Direct Deposit Form
5. I-9 Employment Verification Form
6. Statement of Selective Service Registration
7. Ethics Training Pamphlet
8. Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status
9. Visa Verification (if applicable)

SIUE

1. Agreement for State Agency Department Interns
2. Notice of Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Appointment
3. Employee & Graduate Assistant Data Collection & Data Change Form
4. Federal W-4/IL W-4 Tax Forms
5. Electronic Direct Deposit Form
6. I-9 Employment Verification Form
7. Student Employee Compliance Agreement (Draft Form)
8. Ethics Training Pamphlet
9. Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status
10. Alien Information Collection Form (if applicable)

6. The students selected must sign an Agreement that outlines the terms of the internship.  In addition, students selected will be responsible for obtaining signatures on the Agreement from their department chairs, their school/college deans, and the legislators/state agency staff to which they are assigned.  The Agreement will then be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC) or the Career Development Center (SIUE), as appropriate, for final signature .
7. Student interns will be paid monthly.
8. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute (SIUC) or the Career Development Center (SIUE) will monitor the Vince Demuzio Governmental Internship Program to assure that student interns continue to meet the student eligibility criteria. Students who do not continue to meet the student eligibility criteria will be terminated from the position.
9. The supervisor of the student intern should evaluate the student at the end of each semester. Students who are not meeting the expectations of the appointment may be terminated.