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For information about Sierra Club internships in Washington, D.C., please email dc-internships@sierraclub.org Thank you for your interest in a Sierra Club internship. With over 700,000 members, the Sierra Club is one of our nation's largest grassroots conservation organizations. Our statement of purpose is to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the Earth. We seek to accomplish this by the education and promotion of the responsible use of the Earth's ecosystems and resources. The Washington, D.C. office is one of the main vehicles of the Sierra Club for accomplishing their mission and concentrates on educating Congress, the public and Sierra Club members regarding the quality of the natural environment and monitoring legislative activities of environmental concern including the status of public policy decisions. The Sierra Club Legislative Office sponsors internships throughout the year. Our internships provide a hands-on opportunity for you to gain an in-depth understanding of the field of environmental protection and the specific role that the Sierra Club plays in this field. D.C. Office interns also learn firsthand how Congress works and the role of other non-governmental organizations in Washington. The Sierra Club offers internships in which you will work with the Directors of our Washington Political, Media, Field or Issue Programs. Issue teams are divided into five areas that are listed below. Issue Interns can select from areas including Environmental Quality, Global Warming and Energy, International, Lands Protection and Environmental Partnerships. Interns will work with a Washington Legislative Director and concentrate on a specific environmental issue area. Interns may conduct research, gather and analyze information, write summaries and factsheets for educational purposes, help prepare Congressional testimony, and accompany staff on visits to Congressional offices. Interns may also attend the meetings of other environmental groups, monitor Congressional hearings, help develop background information on a particular issue, participate in Hill "drops," and prepare briefing materials. For more information on our issue areas, please go to the links listed after the brief descriptions below. The Environmental Quality programs deals with issues including air and water
quality, sprawl, and Superfund. The Global Warming and Energy team works on improving vehicle fuel economy,
promoting the increased use of renewable energy sources and reducing overall
emissions as part of a comprehensive national energy plan. The International group includes areas related to Responsible Trade, Global
Population and the Environment, Human Rights and the Environment as well as
our Beyond the Borders program. Lands Protection focuses on protecting habitat, saving streams, and safeguarding
communities by promoting policies which restore forests, protect wildlands
and wildlife in America’s public lands. The Environmental Partnerships team works to build alliances with other constituencies -- such as labor, hunter/anglers, faith communities and Latinos -- around issues of common concern. The primary goal of the Sierra Club’s Environmental Partnerships Program is to build strong alliances with and among diverse groups based on trust and mutual environmental objectives. By working together, these groups will become a more powerful and effective force while broadening the environmental movement to include people from all walks of life. Political interns gain first-hand knowledge of how a political program works. The Political Director manages the Club's participation in elections, including making political endorsements and contributions, organizing local volunteer efforts in elections, conducting research on candidates, and training volunteers. A political program intern would assist the Director by distributing information to Club staff and leaders, monitoring election campaigns, attending meetings, conducting research on candidates, organizations and issues, assisting with political training activities, and other duties as assigned. Media interns assist in the promotion of the Sierra Club's mission and help with the production of press releases, factsheets, and other materials geared for use by Washington-based reporters, editors, and producers. Media interns may write opinion-editorials and assist in special projects. They are also involved in mailings, newspaper clipping, library research, and helping to organize and coordinate the attendance of reporters to press conferences. Finally the media intern will monitor various publications for environmental coverage. Field interns help coordinate national grassroots actions and report releases, provide field staff with legislative information, coordinate the production of materials with issue teams, attend coalition meetings, assist with grassroots training and strategy, and other duties as assigned. The Sierra Club has one of the most effective national grassroots networks in the country, with field organizers in over 40 states. Interns work directly with the National Field Director, National Conservation Organizer, and members of issue teams to coordinate and provide resources for national field staff. The Sierra Student Coalition (SSC) organizes with high school and college students across the country to advance campaigns for environmental progress. The primary goals of the SSC are to empower youth to organize effective and tangible victories and to develop the future leaders of the environmental movement. To that end we offer resources and support, including trainings and campaigns, to a national network of young environmental organizers to assist them in running strategic grassroots organizing efforts that influence environmental policy and alter public attitudes. As the generation with the most to lose from inaction on environmental and energy policy, the SSC is committed to building and advancing the movement for a more just and sustainable future. Apply for an internship with us and have the summer of a lifetime! www.ssc.org Interns are selected on the basis of their interests, education and experience in political science, environmental studies, natural resources, history, law, journalism, computer science or other related fields. We especially seek interns who have been directly involved in conservation work and have good communication and writing skills. Our normal intern rotations are in the fall, winter/spring, and summer but we are flexible with other starting dates. How to Apply Please send a resume, cover letter, and a two to five page writing sample to the DC internship contact at the Sierra Club (address below). Please indicate your specific interest or experience, if any, in relevant environmental issues and your availability dates. Upon receipt of all the information by this office, your application will then be considered. Summer applications should be received by March 15. Thank you for your interest and we hope to be hearing from you! Jeremy Peizer
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