Internship Location: Livonia, MI
Organization Type: Nonprofit
Policy Areas: Economic and environmental policy
This summer I worked as a public policy research intern at the Citizens Research Council of Michigan – a non-profit, independent research organization. My internship gave me lots of insight into how state and local governments intersect on various policy issues. I was able to work on two ongoing projects, one dealing with municipal tax policy and affordable living, and the other with natural hazard mitigation planning on a regional level. I also found it really interesting to explore how much detail and consideration goes into policy research. Working on economic policy allowed me to expand the skills I learned in the Evidence-Based Policymaking course, which taught me budget analysis and risk evaluations. The most significant skill I was able to apply from my La Follette courses was policy writing, which I was able to further improve at the CRC. My experiences writing op-eds, policy briefs and memos, and policy testimonies in PA 200 and PA 240 set me up to successfully deliver factual and effective policy writing throughout my internship. These courses also gave me the research skills needed to continuously ask the right questions and dig further on various policy issues that require critical thinking and a solution-based attitude. I would recommend this internship to anyone looking to sharpen their analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills. This internship provided me with the knowledge and context to search for future positions that best suit my policy interests.