State Policy Internship (Summer)

State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO)•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) seeks candidates for two paid internships for the summer of 2026. We are looking for candidates who are motivated, active learners interested in higher education policy, state governance, and policy analysis. This internship is appropriate for students pursuing a career in higher education, public policy, public administration, and related fields. Your work will center on policy areas that may include college attainment, student success, data systems, workforce development, or higher education finance. Interns will work toward achieving professional goals alongside a talented SHEEO team. This year, interns will be primarily working on one of the following SHEEO projects: A) advancing holistic advising for student success by using research and evidence to support states in developing policy agendas that improve student persistence, completion, and postsecondary attainment or B) creating a database of governance structures and conducting research into effective governance functions. Interns will have the opportunity to work on other projects as workload permits.

Requirements

Demonstrated interest in, enthusiasm for, and curiosity about state higher education policy or the impacts of federal higher education policy on states.
Currently enrolled in a graduate program – or a very recent graduate – in higher education, public policy, public administration, or a related field.
A commitment to advancing student success in higher education.
Experience working with qualitative and quantitative survey data, with knowledge of higher education datasets preferred.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

Create and maintain state policy and news inventories.
Curate unique data sources for analysis.
Perform data analysis and discover trends to support publications.
Assist with active survey administration.
Generate and review website content.
Contribute to meeting agenda planning.
Design and build data visualizations.
Draft various publications (e.g., blog posts, social media content, reports).
Complete an independent project using SHEEO resources.
Attend and assist SHEEO staff with our annual Higher Education Policy Conference.