Monthly Connect: Engaging Students in Government

NC Office of Strategic Partnerships Monthly Connect 

Engaging Students in Government: From Part-Time Intern to Full-Time Career 

Opportunities abound for students to engage in state government, including partnerships with research and philanthropy organizations. Students’ roles range from part-time undergraduate intern to full-time graduate research associate, with multi-faceted work ranging from research to proposal development to communications. The benefits of student engagement are many. These experiences support students’ professional development and skills-building and can lead to full-time employment. For partner organizations, students add capacity and new perspectives, while also strengthening the talent pipeline from NC’s colleges and universities to public service employment.

In this Monthly Connect, speakers will highlight their experiences as current or former interns with state government and how those experiences have shaped their career aspirations. Speakers will also share tips for students and managers to identify opportunities for student involvement and meaningful engagement. There will be time for Q&A.  

This is a virtual meeting. Email partnerships@osbm.nc.gov to obtain the meeting link.

Panelists 

Catherine Chen, Doctoral Associate, NC Office of Strategic Partnerships, and 2022 PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
Kiya Edwards, Digital Equity Manager, NC Office of Digital Equity and Literacy, NC Department of Information Technology 
Bailey Recktenwald, Chief Strategy Officer, NC Department of Environmental Quality 
Jenni Owen (moderator), Director, NC Office of Strategic Partnerships