Jesse L. White Jr. Elected Public Official Internships Program

ABOUT  

The Carolina Center for Public Service (CCPS) will support up to three paid summer internships with North Carolina elected officials in 2025, funded by an endowment  established by Dr. Jesse White. Through these internships, students gain insight into the work of elected officials and their colleagues while building skills and experience that contribute to their future career and public service paths. 

Interns are expected to provide at least 320 hours of service for the office of the elected official. In addition to the service hours, interns will come together with CCPS staff and other potential mentors for reflection and professional development opportunities. For students who wish to receive academic credit for the internship, CCPS will support them in consultation with their academic department. 

Selected interns will receive up to $4,500 in stipend funds over the course of the summer.  

Click here to apply – this will lead you to the Carolina Center for Public Service’s application portal, where you will log in with your Onyen credentials. On the left-hand side, under Apply/Nominate, click on Current Applications and Nominations. From there, you should see the Jesse White Internship Program application. You may note on the application whether you are interested in one or both of the positions listed below. Contact CCPS@unc.edu with any questions.   

KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY 

Only UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates who are not graduating before Dec. 2025 are eligible. Students must be able to work in Raleigh, NC, during regular business hours during summer 2025. Although a small amount of remote work may be allowable, these are mostly in-person internships.

Summer 2025 Internship Position Descriptions:  

North Carolina Department of State Treasurer – Intern  

Position Description: 

The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer (DST) is seeking a dynamic, enthusiastic individual to assist in day-to-day operations of the Department and special projects. This internship is an excellent opportunity to experience the broad array of services provided by DST, as well as develop extensive skills applicable to a career in state government. DST provides the following services to the citizens of North Carolina: 

•  Administers the pension benefits for state and local government employees.  

• Provides health care coverage to more than 740,000 employees, retirees, and dependents.  

• Maintains and manages the State’s unclaimed property, ensuring that property is returned to all rightful owners.  

• Supports North Carolina and over 1,100 units of local government through the sale and delivery of all State and local debt.  

• Invests the State’s assets, such as the Short-Term Investment Fund, Pension Fund, and Ancillary Investment Programs,  

• Serves as the State’s banker and ensures that efficient banking services are provided to all State agencies.  

Qualifications  

• Working toward a college degree.  

• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  

• Advanced written and verbal communication skills. 

• Customer service mindset.  

• Ability to plan and coordinate projects, managing multiple projects at one time.  

• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with various stakeholders, including the public, Department employees, other state agencies, etc.  

• Ability to work independently and as a team member, maintaining composure and confidentiality, and working effectively in a high-pressure environment with changing priorities. 

 North Carolina House of Representatives, N.C. General Assembly- Legislative Assistant Internship 

 Position Description: The North Carolina House and General Assembly seeks two interns who are adaptable, passionate, and willing to assist the House member to the best of their abilities. This internship is an excellent opportunity for students who want to help with the NC House services and learn about the innerworkings of government projects. No two days will be alike during this internship.  

 The interns will assist the House member and the Legislative Assistant in the following ways: 

  Greeting guests to the office 

• Helping to answer House phone calls 

• Helping to answer constituent emails and letters 

• Going to committees to take notes on bills heard or any information the House member needs gathered 

• Research bills coming up for votes or what can make a bill better as directed by the House member 

• Be open to helping with House members’ email newsletters and social media posts 

 Qualifications:  

• Working toward a college degree.  

• Highly adaptable to different projects with a willingness to learn. 

• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  

• Advanced written and verbal communication skills. 

• Experience with researching relevant topics, as House member might ask for notes about specific bills or policies.  

• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with various stakeholders, including the public, employees, other state agencies, etc.  

• Ability to work independently and as a team member, maintaining composure and confidentiality, and working effectively in a high-pressure environment with changing priorities.