The Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer in D.C. Policy Research Internship Program from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy offers undergraduate students hands-on experience in public policy research and analysis in the nation’s capital. Since its inception, the program has provided more than $1.5 million in stipends to students making a difference in Washington, and applications are open.
The program led by Steven Lewis, the C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow at the Baker Institute and professor of the practice in humanities at Rice, provides professional guidance and stipends for students conducting policy research at government agencies, think tanks and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in D.C. The student applicants are screened by a committee of Baker Institute and Rice faculty members, but they are individually responsible for securing internships and housing in Washington.
“We didn’t want to send students to D.C. just to replicate what we’re doing here at the Baker Institute — we want to train the next generation of people going into public policy, into government or NGOs or policy research,” Lewis said. “Our students at Rice are entrepreneurial and autonomous, typically. These students know where they want to go, the work they want to do in D.C., and they make it happen.”
Since its inception in 2004, the program has helped 203 undergraduate students intern at organizations such as the State Department, Council of Economic Advisers, Middle East Institute, Urban Institute, National Science Foundation, Center for American Progress, American Enterprise Institute, Humane Society and the American Civil Liberties Union. Many participants have used their experiences to earn prestigious scholarships, including Rhodes Scholarships, Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, Thomas J. Watson Fellowships, Fulbright Scholarships and Wagoner Scholarships.
“I was able to work at the Center for Community Resilience, which is housed under George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health,” said Ayra Matondang, a junior at Jones College who is double-majoring in cognitive sciences and social policy analysis. “It was such an important experience for my professional and personal development as I decided to pursue policy analysis as a career afterwards, and I can’t quite imagine doing anything else. I also had a great time exploring D.C. with my cohort.”
The students have represented all concentrations on campus from engineering to pre-health to social sciences and humanities. The program wants to encourage people from all disciplinary backgrounds who have diverse policy interests, including interests not studied at the Baker Institute.
“Most of these students graduate cum laude or magna cum laude — they’re very bright,” Lewis said. “They also become a tight cohort and stay in touch as their policy careers progress. Our past participants have gone on to top medical and law schools or have successfully pursued social justice policy and social work.”
The program’s team members also help students obtain prestigious scholarships, including most recently the Rhodes Scholar award.
“In total we have had two Rhodes Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, six Trumans, six Fulbrights, two Udall, one Goldwater, three Pickering, two Soros, two Watsons, one Luce,” Lewis said. “In sum, these certainly constitute more than a million dollars in resources for the alumni of our program.”
Sarah Davidson, a Brown College senior who is double-majoring in political science and German studies and double-minoring in history and politics, law and social thought, is an alternate for the Pickering Scholarship.
“I found my time in D.C. at the Department of State last summer to be enhanced by the Baker Institute D.C. Program and the mentorship that Dr. Lewis provided,” Davidson said. “Through the program, I was able to be connected with Rice Alumni, talk through future applications and fellowships with Dr. Lewis, enhance my knowledge of political science and economic theory through the assigned readings and feel that I had a community with my fellow Rice students while in D.C. I cannot recommend the program enough to anyone who is interested in working in policy.”
Participants are required to attend a Baker Institute seminar on public policy and global affairs concurrent with their internships, write a research report, give a presentation to Rice faculty and researchers and organize a public education activity. The Summer in D.C. Policy Research Program is supported by Houston Endowment, Rice’s School of Social Sciences and friends of the Baker Institute.
The application deadline for summer 2025 is Jan. 24. Click here for application instructions.