Volunteer Think Tank Internships Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description
Description
The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center supports programming that introduces Hamilton students to the world of public affairs and encourages them to pursue creative, ethical, and informed responses to public issues. The Center is responsible for administering projects including, but not limited to, student-faculty research projects, leadership and social innovation programming, a public affairs lecture series, course development grants, engaged learning programs, and public service internships
The Levitt Center is hiring 8-10 part-time student employees to support the ongoing work at the Levitt Center Think Tank. Student employees are expected to commit 6-8 hours each week (60 hours / semester) throughout each of the fall and spring semesters and will work in collaboration with Levitt Center staff, community partners, and faculty mentors. Students will also be required to attend a weekly group meeting. This is a paid position that is open to all class years.
Think Tank Associates will have the opportunity to join a project team focused on one of the following topics:
(A) Research & Public Writing on Polling Data: For the past three years, the Levitt Center has partnered with John Zogby Strategies to track how Upstate New Yorkers see their economic prospects, their communities, and their politics. The poll combines a set of longitudinal questions, tracked year over year, with a themed module that goes deep on a single issue. This year's survey will focus on housing and affordability. Students will dig into the data to identify emerging trends and investigate the story behind the numbers, producing internal analysis that builds toward public-facing writing (e.g. op-eds, blog posts, etc.). This is a chance to work directly with real survey data and help shape how the region understands itself. Past experience and/or interest in statistics, economics, and/or public policy would be particularly valuable on this project.
(B) Community-engaged Video Project: Grounded in visual anthropology, this experimental project explores how video and filmmaking techniques can responsibly represent complex social issues, specifically homelessness and opioid use in Upstate New York. Students will grapple with the ethics of documentation, the politics of representation, and questions of vulnerability and intersectionality, while producing work that is aesthetically compelling and genuinely useful to community partners. Activities include ethnographic observation, discussions with community partners, interviewing, filming, editing, and collaborative storytelling. Past experience and/or interest in video production / filmmaking, anthropology, public health, social justice, and/or community engagement would be particularly valuable on this project.
(C) Village of Clinton Parking Study: As the Village of Clinton looks ahead to significant improvements to the Village Green, community leaders want to make sure downtown parking works well for businesses, residents, and visitors alike. In partnership with the Clinton Kirkland Improvement Corporation, students will work alongside planning professionals to test that perception against the evidence: conducting surveys, mapping and quantifying available parking supply, and reviewing local codes that shape how parking is built and used. The project will feed directly into real municipal planning decisions. Past experience and/or interest in planning, civic engagement, and/or codes and local laws would be valuable on this project.
Qualifications
The Levitt Center is seeking candidates who will be:

• proactive and determined problem solvers
• strong writers and communicators, with past experience and/or desire to learn how to communicate effectively with decision-makers and public audiences
• committed and collaborative team players

The ideal candidate will also have relevant past experience and/or coursework that aligns with one of the positions. For example, candidates interested in the research and public writing position should have some background and/or interest in statistics, economics and/or public policy.
Students from all class years are welcome to apply. While students going abroad in the spring semester are welcome to apply for the fall semester only, preference will be given to students who can commit to the full academic year.
Application Instructions
Please submit your 1-page resume, a cover letter, and 1-3 references. In your cover letter, please share why this position is of interest to you as well as the skills and experience that you will bring to the role. Please also indicate your availability for shifts next term (6-8 hours per week) based on your class schedule and extracurriculars. For references, please provide the names of 1-3 people who can speak to your qualifications. References may include Hamilton faculty and/or staff, but it is not a requirement.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, August 30. Interviews will take place starting Monday, August 31 through September 8, with final decisions made by September 10.
Should you have questions or if you participated in the Think Tank program last year, please reach out to levitt@hamilton.edu.