Graduate Intern Programs

Samuel K. Gove Legislative Internship Hall of Fame Reception & Induction Ceremony

jcook36 — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:47:03 +0000

Samuel K. Gove Legislative Internship Hall of Fame Reception & Induction Ceremony jcook36 Tue, 08/05/2025 - 09:47

The Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Office of Graduate Intern Programs are pleased to host the 2025 Samuel K. Gove Legislative Internship Hall of Fame Reception & Induction Ceremony! Please save the date for October 27, 2025. Additional details and registration will be coming.

When

Mon, Oct 27 2025, 5:30 - 9pm Google Outlook iCal

Location

Illinois Old State Capitol - 526 East Adams Street, Springfield

Event Type

Campus

Employee

Faculty

Department

Center for State Policy & Leadership

Graduate Intern Programs

How to gain work experience

eewest2 — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 20:11:29 +0000

How to gain work experience eewest2 Fri, 04/12/2024 - 15:11

How to get started inside of the halls of power

atry2 — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 16:48:24 +0000

How to get started inside of the halls of power atry2 Mon, 03/21/2022 - 11:48

Interview Logistics

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 21:18:32 +0000

Interview Logistics cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 16:18

Interview Logistics

The GPSI Office is currently available to meet with walk-in visitors. To meet with a member of the GPSI team, please email gpsimail@uis.edu to schedule an appointment.

Obtaining a GPSI is a competitive process. Participation in interviews will depend on successful submission of your application in accordance with our published deadlines.

After you complete your application, GPSI will review and notify you of your eligibility for interviews. If you are eligible, your application will be sent to the participating agencies for review for the current round of hiring. The agencies will then inform the GPSI office of who they want to interview and the GPSI office will notify applicants of any offers they may receive. Interviews will be scheduled by the hiring agencies.

Round	Deadline	Interviews - Virtual	Start dates
Spring Round	October 1, 2024	October 23 - November 1, 2024	February 1, 2025
First Round	March 31, 2025	April 22 - May 1, 2025	August 16, 2025
Chicago Round	Same as Above	Same as Above	Same as Above

*Students will need to specify if they want to participate in Springfield interviews or Chicago interviews.

“I’m grateful for the experience gained while a GPSI intern at 69��app Springfield. As an intern at the Illinois Department of Public Health, I learned a lot about cooperation, organization dynamics & task management. After graduation I moved to Washington DC & found work at Management Sciences for Health (MSH) supporting projects based in East Africa. I feel that being a GPSI provided a solid foundation for my professional career. Recently, I traveled to Rwanda to support a conference studying the adherence to anti-retroviral therapy. I’ve attached a photograph of the conference group.” (Front Row — Right)

Lewis Parish, Former GPSI Intern, Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

Internship Experience Forms

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:59:57 +0000

Internship Experience Forms cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 15:59

Internship Experience Forms

Internship Experience forms for interviews are the best way to learn more information about the internship you are interviewing with. Once you are selected for an interview and provided with the experience forms, please use these experience forms to learn more about the internships you’ve been offered using their corresponding codes. All interviews are expected to take place virtually for the foreseeable future. Video conference capabilities are required.

If you have questions, please contact the GPSI office at gpsimail@uis.edu.

“Our GPSI internship gave us a rich experiential learning opportunity in which we were part of a larger organization through which we learned organizational culture within the public sector. We were able to contribute with our skills, developed new skills, networked, and knew that we made a difference with the public served by this agency.”

Rajeev Bhatta, Tony Ligori, Jill Michaels, and Mark Clayton, Illinois Office of the Auditor General

Interviews

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:57:47 +0000

Interviews cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 15:57

Interviews

The GPSI Office is currently available to meet with walk-in visitors. To meet with a member of the GPSI team, please email gpsimail@uis.edu to schedule an appointment. View all staff contact information here.

GPSI holds interviews to determine which internship the applicant will be placed in. It is a mutual selection process. After the agencies review the applications and offer the interviews, the students have the opportunity to review the position description of the internship to determine if they are interested in the position. After interviews are conducted, the agencies will select the student or students they want to hire and then the students have a the opportunity to accept or decline the offer.

The GPSI office is the conduit to which the offers, results, and matches go through. It is possible that after a round of interviews, an internship may not be filled and/or an applicant may not be placed. If this is the case, the internship & applicant (if eligible) will move to the next round of hiring.

Participating Agencies

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:44:45 +0000

Participating Agencies cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 15:44

Participating Agencies

“The Graduate Public Service Internship was great for me, so now it’s time to pay it forward and provide an opportunity for someone else.” – Amy Delcomyn, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the Il Department of Central Management Services

PARTICIPATING GPSI AGENCIES, PAST AND PRESENT, INCLUDE:

IL Appellate Defender’s Office
IL Appellate Prosecutor’s Office
IL Association of Community Action Agencies
IL Board of Higher Education
IL Building Commission
IL Capital Development Board
IL Coalition Against Domestic Violence
IL Commerce Commission
IL Department on Aging
IL Department of Agriculture
IL Department of Central Management Services
IL Department of Children & Family Services
IL Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
IL Department of Corrections
IL Department of Employment Security
IL Department of Financial & Professional Regulation
IL Department of Healthcare & Family Services
IL Department of Human Services
IL Department of Natural Resources
IL Department of Public Health
IL Department of Revenue
IL Department of Transportation
IL Emergency Management Agency
IL Environmental Protection Agency
IL Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
IL Health Facilities & Review Board
IL Historic Preservation Agency

IL Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board
IL Legislative Black Caucus
IL Office of the Attorney General
IL Office of the Auditor General
IL Office of the Comptroller
IL Office of the Governor, Bureau of the Budget
IL Office of the Lt. Governor
IL Office of the Secretary of State
IL Office of the State Treasurer
IL Prisoner Review Board
IL Retired Teacher’s Association
IL State Board of Education
IL State Police
IL Supreme Court
IL Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission
IL Violence Prevention Authority
State Retirement System
Teacher’s Retirement System
American Lung Association of Illinois
City of Springfield – City, Water, Light & Power
Energy Education Council
Hanson Information Systems, Inc.
Land of Lincoln Workforce Alliance
Springfield Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission
SIU School of Medicine
UIC Specialized Care for Children

GPSI interns have staffed a wide range of internship positions at agencies, including —

Accounting & Fiscal Contract Compliance Intern
Air Monitoring Intern
Aquatic Biology Intern
Biologist
Budget/Finance Specialist
Chronic Disease Prevention Intern
Communications Assistant
Community Relations Intern
Computer Programmer/Developer
Database Designer
Diabetes Prevention & Control Program Intern
Drinking Water Compliance Assurance Intern
Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Support
Engineer Reactor Safety Intern
Fiscal Specialist
Food Processing Standardization Planner
Geographic Analysis Intern
Highway Program Development Analyst Intern
Historic Sites Intern
HIV Research Intern
Human Resources Intern
Human Resources Management Assistant
Injury Prevention Assistant
Labor Relations Intern
Legal Investigator
Legal Services Intern

Legislative Liaison Intern
Library Support Intern
Managed Care/Quality Intern
Marketing Assistant
Medicaid Policy Intern
Newborn Screening, Genetics, SIDS Intern
Nuclear Safety Radon Test Specialist
Paralegal
Policy and Legislative Analyst
Procurement Specialist
Public Health GIS Technician and Data Analyst
Quality Assurance Intern
Rebalancing Long Term Care Intern
Recycling Specialist
Regional Emergency Response Coordinator
Source Water Protection Intern
State Audit Intern – Compliance
State Audit Intern – Performance
Strategic Planning Intern
Suicide Prevention Graduate Intern
Supportive Living Program Specialist
Tobacco Prevention & Control Program Intern
Toxic Air Specialist
Traffic Data Analyst
Web & Application Development Specialist
Youth Services Program Coordinator Intern

Requesting an Intern

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:23:36 +0000

Requesting an Intern cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 15:23

Agency Intern Request Forms

For a full schedule of all GPSI interview dates and deadlines, please see the Interview Logistics tab. Interns begin their internships in Fall on August 16, 2022 or in Spring on January 16, 2023 or February 1, 2023. Interviews are held virtually. To submit your request, please fill out the Intern Request Form.

Chicago GPSI Intern Request Forms

GPSI also hosts interns in the Chicago area! These students will be enrolled in an all online master’s program and living in and around the Chicagoland area. Interns begin in both Fall and Spring semesters. To request an intern in the Chicago GPSI program please complete the Intern Request Form.

If you are interested in participating in the GPSI program, but have questions, we welcome the opportunity to talk with you. Please call our office at 217-206-6155 or e-mail gpsimail@uis.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you.

GPSI: “Celebrating over 45 years of Leadership Lived”

“The IDPH – HIV/AIDS Surveillance Unit was in need of an intern with a proficient level of expertise with computers and computer software. Our intern has a keen understanding of the database systems that are vital to our programs and has served as the unit’s liaison with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. We are pleased and very fortunate to have this GPSI intern as part of our unit.”
Christine Hoffman, Manager, Illinois Department of Public Health – HIV/AIDS Infectious Diseases Surveillance Unit

“GPSI interns that I have mentored have contributed many useful ideas and developed innovative projects that would otherwise not have existed at the IEPA. The interns have seen firsthand how their internship benefits both the IEPA and the people served by IEPA programs. In just 21 months, the GPSI interns secured for themselves an impressive combination of education and experience, including a portfolio to share with prospective employers.”
Heather Nifong, Associate Director, IEPA

Agency Information

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:14:59 +0000

Agency Information cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 15:14

For over 45 years, 69��app Springfield has partnered with state and local government agencies as well as some non-profit agencies to provide highly qualified, highly motivated graduate students for internships at these agencies. GPSI has a strong track record of placing exceptional students in governmental agencies. Since 1974, GPSI has placed nearly 3,500 graduate students in over 45 state agencies and organizations.

The cost to secure an intern in FY23 is $25,624.44 or the first year which covers the tuition waiver, monthly stipend, professional development allotment, and administrative costs. For participation in the program, the expectation is that the internship supervisor will serve as both mentor and internship supervisor to the intern.

The GPSI program is designed to provide a 21 month internship experience, but internship experiences also can be as quick as two school semesters depending on the student's graduation. The GPSI office prepares a university/agency contract and invoices the agency two times during the fiscal year. New interns for FY23 will begin their internships on August 16, 2022.

Potential internship supervisors conduct their own interviews and make all determinations on internship offers. Internship supervisors are under no obligation to make an offer.

GPSI interns are highly motivated graduate students with experience in professional proficiencies. Core competencies include environmental studies, public health, business administration, accounting, management information systems, computer science, public administration, legal studies, and communication.

To request an intern, please use the link below.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/a1b6b614030a4007b221e463bcbe1f0f

At the annual GPSI recognition breakfast held on April 3, 2019, Ginger Mullin, AuD., Illinois Department of Public Health, received the the Sagarika Madala Memorial Award for Exemplary Leadership in recognition of her outstanding leadership as a GPSI supervisor and mentor. Dr. Mullin is pictured with Alexandra Scherba, Ginger’s GPSI intern, who nominated her for the award.

Sagarika Madala Memorial
Award Winner Ginger Mullin
with GPSI Intern
Alexandra Scherba

FAQs

cogbo2 — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 19:46:49 +0000

FAQs cogbo2 Fri, 03/18/2022 - 14:46

FAQs

The GPSI Office is currently available to meet with walk-in visitors. To assure availability, please email gpsimail@uis.edu to schedule an appointment.

All staff contact information

What is the GPSI?

The Graduate Public Service Internship Program is a twenty-one (21) month internship that gives you the opportunity for experiential learning through a public sector internship while earning a master’s 69��app from 69��app Springfield. The GPSI internship coincides with your full-time study in one of 20 graduate programs offered at 69��app Springfield. Depending on the intern’s academic program requirements for 69��app completion, some GPSI internships can be less or more than 21 months.

What is the application deadline?

GPSI holds numerous rounds of hiring throughout the year. Please check the Interviews > Interview Logistics tab for the latest round of hiring information.

What is a complete file?

Your file is complete once we have received your GPSI application, resume, three professional references (faculty who are familiar with your academic work or a current/former employer), and notice of graduate admission. The GPSI office will request your notice of graduate admission from the UIS Office of Admissions. Please go to the “GPSI Application Information” link on the menu to the left for complete application instructions.

What is a personal goal statement?

Internship supervisors like to know about your background, how a GPSI internship would enhance your graduate education and professional development, and about how you can make a contribution to the agency. The personal goal statement section of the application is your chance to introduce yourself. If any document submitted as part of the application requirements to the GPSI program is determined to have been plagiarized or copied from another, without credit being given to the source, your GPSI file will be immediately removed from the applicant pool.

You may be required to submit a goal statement for your academic program as part of the program’s application process. The academic program goal statement is in addition to the required GPSI goal statement.

What are the academic program admission requirements?

Since you must be admitted to graduate studies at UIS in order to be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, it is important that you contact the academic program to determine specific admission requirements and application deadlines for the program. Some academic programs have additional admission requirements that may impact your GPSI file completion timelines. For academic program information, please visit the graduate education website.

What if I have prerequisite courses to complete?

Please be aware that if your graduate program has identified program prerequisite courses that must be completed prior to being fully admitted to the master’s 69��app program, you may not be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool until you have successfully completed some of the required prerequisite courses. To be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, you are allowed to have no more than four (4) prerequisite courses that still need to be completed. If your GPSI applicant file is complete and it is determined that you have more than four (4) prerequisite courses remaining to be completed, your GPSI applicant file will be placed on “hold” in the GPSI office.

What opportunities are available for a UIS online student?

GPSI has opportunities for students living in and around the Springfield and Chicago areas. You must live within a commutable distance to your internship for the duration of the placement to participate in the GPSI program. We currently do not have placements for online students located outside of the Springfield or Chicago areas. At this time, students enrolled in any College of Business and Management online programs are not eligible for GPSI placements.

Can international students apply for a GPSI position?

Yes; applications are currently being accepted without proof of F-1 visa status.

If you currently live abroad, we encourage you to complete your GPSI application file prior to arriving on the UIS campus for your first semester of study. Upon arrival on the UIS campus for the fall or spring semester, as a GPSI applicant you must check in with the GPSI office to verify your F-1 status and provide your local address and telephone number.

What does a GPSI intern do?

As a GPSI intern, you will have the opportunity for an internship experience that is compatible with your academic background, graduate program, and skills. Historically, GPSI interns have completed challenging work in the areas of economic forecasting, grant writing, research, writing press releases, preparing television public service announcements, marketing, statewide conference management, newsletter production, environmental research on endangered species, website development, computer programming, database development and management, statewide audits, and public health research.

When does the internship begin?

For the 2022/2023 academic year, new GPSI internships will begin on August 16, 2022, and will end on June 30, 2023 (or earlier depending on actual 69��app completion)/. Students who are eligible to renew their GPSI internship are able to do so.

Is there a minimum grade point average required to be eligible for GPSI?

Yes. To be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, your cumulative undergraduate GPA must be at least 2.50 and if you have a graduate GPA established, it must be at least a 3.0 or higher. You must also be in good academic standing with the university and have no incomplete grades on file. Please note that most applicants actually selected have GPAs between 3.00 and 4.00. If you have already earned an advanced 69��app, you are still welcome to apply. GPSI interns must maintain a 3.00 GPA for continued participation in the program.

What is the academic course load required per semester?

Due to the internship time component of the GPSI program, interns are required to register for a minimum of eight (8) credit hours for the fall and spring terms to be classified as a full-time 69��app seeking student. Registration for the summer term is optional. This policy applies to both domestic and international interns.

How much is the tuition waiver?

You will receive 24 credit hours per academic year, including the summer term. If you are an out-of-state or international student, you will be responsible for the tuition difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition costs. GPSI does not cover program tuition differential rates. Please check with your program of study to see if they have a tuition differential.

What about mandatory student fees and textbooks?

GPSI interns receive $650 each fall and spring semester towards mandatory student fees. Textbook purchases are the intern’s responsibility.

How are interns selected?

Selection as a GPSI intern is made by the GPSI internship supervisor on a competitive basis. Internship supervisors will consider the strength of your GPA, resume, letters of recommendation, undergraduate areas of study, previous work experience, career goals as defined in your educational goal statement, honors and awards, and any other special skills that might enhance your internship performance. If you have computer skills, such as the Microsoft Office suite, you are strongly encouraged to list the skills and your proficiency level on your resume.

Your GPSI file will be sent to participating internship supervisors for interview consideration. Internship offers are made solely by the agencies with no input from the GPSI office. Not all applicants who apply will be selected for internship interviews. And, not all applicants interviewed will be selected for an internship.

If you are selected for an interview, we will send you the interview schedule and the link for the experiential learning descriptions by e-mail. Interviews are scheduled by the GPSI office and conducted by internship supervisors. Interviews are typically 30 minutes long.

You are responsible for your own travel arrangements and expenses to participate in the interview process. We do not schedule telephone or Skype interviews.

We strongly encourage you to wear professional attire for the interviews. The interview is your time to shine!

Do interns receive academic credit for the internship experience?

No. However, GPSI interns have received one hour of academic credit for PAD 561 – The Organizational Environment in Public Service which is the GPSI seminar class that was previously offered during the fall & spring terms. Some academic programs will allow you to apply the seminar credit towards 69��app requirements. PAD 561 was a mandatory class for all GPSI interns but is currently on hold for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Are textbooks covered by this program?

No. The GPSI benefits do not go towards the purchase or rental of textbooks.

Do interns receive health insurance benefits?

No. However, GPSI interns may be eligible to purchase UIS student accident and health insurance. This is handled by the UIS Office of Human Resources.

Are GPSI interns eligible for additional financial assistance?

Yes. To determine if you are eligible for additional financial assistance, please visit the UIS Office of Financial Assistance.

Does the GPSI program guarantee interns a job after graduation?

No. You may, however, have the opportunity to continue working in state government or in the private sector through contacts established during the internship experience. Upon graduation, many interns begin professional careers in the public sector at the federal, state or local levels; as well as in the private sector.

What about housing at UIS?

For on-campus and off-campus housing information, we encourage you to contact the UIS Residence Life Office. If you plan to apply for campus housing, please apply early!

How do I request additional information?

We welcome the opportunity to talk with you. Please give us a call today if you have questions or would like to request an information packet. The GPSI office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time). We can be reached by phone at 217-206-6158, by fax at 217-206-7508, or via e-mail at gpsimail@uis.edu.