Internship Opportunities

Fall 2025 Internship: Digital Content Creator

The Center for Youth Political Participation, in collaboration with the Rutgers Democracy Lab, is recruiting a paid team of creative, motivated digital content creator interns for Fall 2025. Digital content creators will support CYPP and RDL staff in creating eye-catching, viral-worthy content for our social media channels to promote youth voter turnout, political awareness, and campus-based engagement at Rutgers. 

This paid internship opportunity begins the week of August 25, 2025, and runs until early December 2025.

Internship Responsibilities 

• Creating engaging, viral-worthy TikToks for the Rutgers Democracy Lab’s social media channels, including TikTok and Instagram
• Filming man-on-the-street style interviews with current Rutgers students at various on- and off-campus events
• Designing visually engaging graphics and story content 
• Researching social media trends and news to pitch timely and creative ways to connect civic content with online trends
• Collaborating with the intern team to brainstorm content ideas and strategy
• Serving as an ambassador of the initiative for on and off-campus events and meetings.
• Analyzing content analytics for broader engagement

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Current sophomore, junior, or senior at Rutgers University in good academic standing
• Experience creating social media content, including video creation and editing 
• Experience with major social media platforms and basic content creation tools, including Canva and CapCut
• Ability to attend weekly in-person check-in meetings at Rutgers New Brunswick
• Ability to work 8-10 hours per week in a hybrid arrangement
• Strong oral and written communication skills, attention to detail, and understanding of branding guidelines 
• Ability to multitask and manage time effectively

Applications are now open for Fall 2025! To apply, fill out the online application. Completed applications must include your current resume and a short TikTok video (30 seconds or less) highlighting your creativity and interest in civic engagement. 

Select one of the following prompts for your video submission:

• Use a trending TikTok sound, format, or meme to deliver a civic message or highlight an issue Gen Z should care about (e.g., local elections, youth voter turnout, or community volunteering).
  
• Explain why voting matters to you and how you would encourage others to get involved.
  
• Show (or narrate) what it looks like to be an engaged citizen beyond voting, such as attending a town hall, helping a neighbor, or volunteering.
  

Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at 5:00 PM.

Fall 2025 Internship Opportunity: RU Voting

The Center for Youth Political Participation is recruiting a team of interns to support the RU Voting program during the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial elections.  RU Voting is a nonpartisan effort to register, mobilize and engage Rutgers University students to participate in politics and vote in local, state, and national elections. Interns will support CYPP staff in developing and executing the goals of RU Voting on the Rutgers University–New Brunswick campus.

This paid internship position begins August 2025 until mid-November 2025.

Internship Responsibilities

• Identifying and administering voter registration, mobilization, and education drives on the Rutgers University–New Brunswick campus
• Creating multimedia videos and graphics for Center for Youth Political Participation social media platforms on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
• Engaging in local, state, regional, national voter engagement coalition meetings and events
• Researching information on candidates, voting rates, and state-by-state election information for the RU Voting National website
• Promoting RU Voting amongst Rutgers University student groups by sharing digestible content via listservs and social media pages

Eligibility requirements:

• Must be a current Rutgers University-New Brunswick undergraduate student. Incoming first year students are ineligible to apply.
• Must be available to support weekly, on campus voter registration and mobilization drives from August to November
• Experience with Canva a plus
• Interest in encouraging voter participation in young adults
• Ability to speak to large groups of students at in-person voter registration and mobilization events
• Ability to work 5-7 hours per week in-person on campus; some work can be completed remotely

Applications are closed for the Fall 2025 RU Voting Internship. Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 7 at 5:00PM

Spring 2025 Internship Opportunity: RU Ready

The Center for Youth Political Participation is recruiting a team of interns to support the RU Ready program to support the implementation of RU Ready Civics Fairs and Young Leaders Conference for area high school and middle school students.  RU Ready is a nonpartisan, civic education program in high schools and middle schools designed to provide students with the resources and skills to address public problems in their communities. Interns will support CYPP staff in designing and implementing Civics Fairs and Conferences in area public schools.

This paid internship position begins the week of January 6, 2025 until mid-May 2025.

Internship Responsibilities

• Implement RU Ready Civics Fairs at area high schools and middle schools
• Lead and facilitate two in-person RU Ready Young Leaders Conferences for high school students
• Participate in weekly internship meeting with Center staff

Eligibility requirements:

• Must be a current Rutgers University–New Brunswick sophomore or above
• Must be available to attend weekly in-person events both on-campus and off-campus
• In order to work with minors in a school setting, interns must be able to pass a background check, fingerprinting, and TB test
• Interest in encouraging young adults in civic skill building
• Ability to speak to large groups of students
• Access to a car a plus, but not required
• Ability to work 5-7 hours per week in a hybrid arrangement with a stable internet connection & laptop; some work must be completed at Center offices

Applications for the 2025 RU Ready Internship have closed. 

Civil Discourse Expectations

Classes, programs and other events convened by the Eagleton Institute of Politics are premised on the belief that, in order for our democracy to work, we need to be able to talk to each other. Students and other program participants are expected to engage in open and civil discourse, recognizing that meaningful exchange of ideas from different perspectives requires reasoned deliberation based on shared facts and conducted with respect and curiosity, and with affirmation of the humanity of all people irrespective of their historic marginalization, identity or socioeconomic status. In addition, like all Rutgers students, students at Eagleton are expected to comply with the Rutgers University Code of Conduct.

Students exhibiting behavior in class or online that conflicts with the Civil Discourse Expectations of the Eagleton Institute of Politics or with relevant sections of the University Student Code of Conduct may be removed from a class, given a failing grade for the course and/or terminated from the CYPP internship program.