John W. Macy Summer Internship in Government and Public Policy Research

Deadline: Thursday, January 24, 2008 by 4:00 p.m.

A 1938 graduate of Wesleyan, John Macy later served as Trustee and as Executive Vice President of the University.  His professional career was spent in service to the United States government as both Chairman of the U.S. Civil Service Commission and first President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  In recognition of his exceptional contributions to public life, John Macy received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The intern will be chosen from the junior class on the basis of those characteristics associated with John Macy:  high intellectual ability, a capacity for sustained effort in difficult tasks, strong ethical standards, an ingrained sense of duty, and commitment to public service as a worthy career.

The student recipient will spend the summer in Washington, D.C., as a special intern in the Office of the Comptroller General of the United States.  Working with a senior official as mentor, the Macy Intern will participate in current policy issues.  A stipend of $4,000 accompanies the internship.  Grants are potentially taxable.  If the money is used for tuition and fees, it is not.  For specific information, students should consult their parents’ accountants. If you would like to apply for the Macy internship, please submit to the Career Resource Center by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 24, 2008, 1 ORIGINAL AND 3 COPIES of the following:

A 2-page essay (800 – 1000 words):  The ESSAY should discuss a significant public policy or problem confronting our society today that is of interest to you.

It would also be a good idea to have the professor from whom you request your recommendation to look over your essay, if possible.

Ideally, you should link the essay to a topic and a body of literature that has been the focus of prior academic study. However, this is just a suggestion to help you write a good essay.

• Please include some proposed solutions to the policy problem.
• Include bibliographic references and/or statistical data to support your recommendations. 
• An unofficial copy of your transcript.
• A resume.
• A personal statement that includes your reasons for seeking the Macy internship.
• ONE COPY OF A CONFIDENTIAL LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM A FACULTY MEMBER. We will make copies of this letter, as required.

A review committee will then screen applications and interview finalists.

U.S. Government regulations stipulate that this internship is open only to U.S. citizens.

Additional information on the Macy internship is available, including evaluations from recent Macy interns, in the Macy binder in the Fellowship section of the CRC library.