Cal in Local Government

Cal in Local Government is a community-based program that spans over two semesters, starting in October and ending in May. Intern applications are accecpted early in the Fall semester of every year.

Jump to information below for:

Interns | Supervisors

Information for Interns

Applications to join the program as an intern are posted in September and are due in October. Interviews are held in the first week in October and all placements are final by the end of October. Because placements are completed in the Fall, there are few opportunities to get involved as a student exclusively in the spring.

CLG does hold events open to the public, such as speaker panels and career workshops, throughout the year, so check our website for upcoming events. Interns present their research at an end-of-the-year showcase in late April every year.

Program Details

Dates of Internship: October 2013 - May 2014
Time Commitment: 168 hours total (average 6-10 hours per week)
Eligibility: Currently Enrolled UCB students
Units Offered: 2

Program Information

Since its inception, Cal in Local Government has provided hundreds of students with hands-on experience and professional development invaluable to their education at Cal. Students have researched legislative issues, developed community projects, handled constituent casework and attended council meetings. Students who are interested in local government, politics, public service and social change, regardless of their academic concentration or year, are encouraged to apply.

We do not place students in direct service or clerical positions. Internships are project-based and unpaid. Student interns complete 168 hours at their internship site from October 2013 through May 2014 while attending mandatory fall bi-weekly skills-based trainings and participatory dialogues and a spring faculty-led course (course menu provided) in order to deepen understanding of local government and public policy, its conneciton to community organizing, and/or the historical, social, economic, and cultural history of the East Bay. Fall skills trainings include community speakers and workshops that will assist interns with their work at their internship sites such as public speaking, leadership, resume and cover letter writing.

Qualifications and Skills

• Registered UC Berkeley undergraduate during Fall  and Spring semesters
• A strong interest in public policy and public service
• Solid written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and take initiative

Program Requirements

• Attend weekly internship 6-10 hours per week from October through May
• Complete a total of 168 hours at your internship before first week of May
• Attend 2-unit DeCal every other Monday from 5:30-7:00PM, October through May

Important Dates (2013)

• September 9, 5PM: Applications due
• September 16-20: Interviews with Cal in Local Government Directors
• September 23-27: Accepted participants interviewed by sites
• October 4: Accepted participants notified of placement
• October 11: Public Service Internship Kick-off
• October 14: Internships begin

Questions? Please contact the Cal in Local Government Directors at 510-642-5429 or calinlocalgovt@berkeley.edu. Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5PM on September 9, 2013.

Information for Supervisors

Our program seeks government offices that work closely with policy creation and analysis. Because our interns are all full-time students, the closer offices are in proximity to the UC Berkeley campus, the better. We have had offices in Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville and Oakland in past years.

Application to Request a Cal in Local Government Intern for 2013-14

Cal in Local Government (CLG) is a student-run internship program that is hosted by the Cal Corps Public Service Center at the University of California, Berkeley. CLG's mission is to engage and empower Cal students to serve local communities by enhancing their knowledge about local issues, improving their ability to think creatively and critically about how local policy can build healthy communities, and developing their professional skills.

We seek meaningful, project-based internships to enhance Cal students' understanding of the connection between public service and government efforts to create healthy communities. We invite employees in government departments, council offices, and commissions at the city and county levels in the East Bay to participate as internship supervisors by hosting a Cal intern.

Please note that we do not place interns in direct service or clerical staff positions.

Student interns complete 168 hours at their internship sites from October 14, 2013 to May 2, 2014, while attending CLG’s weekly academic seminar to discuss issues confronting communities of the East Bay.

Please review the host site eligibility requirements and program timeline below. Contact Angela Taylor, Internship Programs Coordinator, at 510.642.5429 or at taylora@berkeley.edu if you are interested in hosting a Cal intern or if you have any questions about our program.

I. Host Site Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to host a CLG intern, your department must:

• Be a government department, council office, or commission at the city or county level.
• Be located in the East Bay and be easily accessible using public transportation.
• Provide a project-based internship with a focus on policy research or community-based research and analysis.
• Pay a $350 placement fee for each intern successfully placed with your organization.
• Attend site supervisor roundtable in September
• Designate a staff member to supervise the intern for the duration of the internship. This individual must agree to (1) attend one supervisor training in Spring and (2) adhere to the program requirements as outlined in the training.
• Provide a job description for the intern that outlines internship tasks, duties, and goals (including student learning outcomes), and is appropriate for an 6-8 hour per week commitment from October to May.
• Provide a work schedule with flexible hours to accommodate the intern’s academic commitments.

II. Program Timeline 2013-14 (tentative)

• July 1 – Host site application available on website
• August 16 – Host site application due
• September 23–27 – Intern interviews and placement.  Note that CLG operates under a compressed matching timeline; we encourage supervisors to set aside at least three 2-hour windows during these days so that in-person interviews can be completed in a timely manner once candidates are forwarded to you on September 19.
• October 11 – Supervisor roundtable: 12-1pm, location tba (Required of all sites hosting a CLG intern in 2013-14)
• October 14 – Earliest internships can begin
• April 29 – Policy Project Showcase; Internships end May 2

In 2011-12 18 CLG interns:

Cal in Local Government Current Events Blog 2011-12

Excerpts from the blog:

Welcome to the Cal in Local Government Current Events Blog

Melissa, Marisol, and Shir will be facilitating a disucssion around the primary elections and party caucuses on Monday during the first 15 minutes of our DeCal (2/06).

Article: US election 2012: key quotes from the post-primary speeches

Video: Colbert Report: Newt Gingrich's Supporters

Here are some questions provided by Shir, Marisol, and Melissa to get you thinking:

1. In what ways (positive or negative) does endorsement from past candidates affect the candidate being endorsed? (Example from Video: Cain endorsing Gingrich)
2. Do you think it benefits or hurt stheir campaigns for the primaries and national elections?

Adity says: In regards to the first question about candidate endorsements, I think political endorsements work like advertisements. At the core of both political endorsements and advertisements is an inherent need to “sell” a product. And, in both cases, the product must, ideally, be sold ethically. However, often it seems that ethics and politics are almost mutually exclusive realms, especially when it comes to election season. Ethically speaking, I really see a problem with the kind of reasons politicians use to defend their endorsements. For example, Governor Sarah Palin argues that one should vote Newt to “annoy a liberal”. This is such a destructive stance. One of my professors, who teaches behavioral economics at my former community college and who is insanely old, told our class once that in his insanely long life, this is the most politically divided he has ever seen America. I think Palin’s comment really reflects this divide. The reason to vote for Newt Gingrich is not grounded in his competence but his competition with the opposite side. This is so reductive and easy to digest, I fear many will be influenced to vote Newt simply because of this reason. Once again, I am not really aware of Newt’s specific stands on issues important to me and to the nation, but I do think that grounds for voting should be more than petty rivalry

Laetitia says: Endorsements are tricky – as someone who has never supported a candidate who has withdrawn and then thrown support upon a fellow member of his or her party, I can’t say if I would be convinced or not…..However, as someone who is rational (I would like to think) and educated (thanks Berkeley!), I cannot fathom how an endorsement from neither Herman Cain, nor Sarah Palin would help Newt Gingrich’s nor Mitt Romney’s, nor anyone else’s cause. I just can’t……. While voters may pay attention to whom is endorsed by whom, I can’t see an endorsement alone influencing who they will ultimately vote for. This is, after all, the President of the United States of America. In the end…..we’re all just gonna throw our hands up and go with our gut feeling.

Click here to read more about what Cal in Local Government interns have to say on current events!

Amit Akula
City of Berkeley, Rent Stabilization Board
Amit is a freshman hoping to double major in Computer Science and Business Administration at UC Berkeley. An former intern at the Arcadia Department of Recreation, Amit now works at the Rent Stabilization Board and wants to learn more about the workings of local government as part of his larger effort to understand how organizations work. He hopes to eventually learn to use technology to improve the efficacy of a business model or operations. Amit is extremely excited to be here at Cal and is reading, sleeping, and studying when not working as a Hall Association Vice-President of Service, as a CLG Intern, or as a research assistant for Graduate Student Eilot Sherman's and Professor Jo-Pozner's URAP Scandal Reputation Project.

Justine Bie
City of Oakland, Public Works Agency
Justine is a third year Sociology major and intended Public Policy minor. Having always carried a passion for public service, she is thrilled to continue to serve the local East Bay community that she was born and raised in. She is interested in law and politics and hopes to pursue a career within that realm of study. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, shopping, and traveling!

Jordan Chan
City of Berkeley,
Office of Councilmember Jesse Arreguin
Jordan is a 3rd year Environmental Economics and Policy major. Hailing from San Gabriel California, a small city near Los Angeles, his interests include international economics, sustainable energy concerns, and addressing issues of inequality. He is heavily involved with Berkeley Model United Nations and its mission to educate high school students on international relations, diplomacy, and public speaking. In his free time, Jordan enjoys cooking, reading science fiction novels and spending time with his 7 other roommates.

Sunny Chao
City of Berkeley, Office of Councilmember Jesse Arreguin
Sunny is a 4th year Urban Studies student at the University of California, Berkeley. She is excited to intern with Councilmember Jesse Arreguin, because she is interested in how the city of Berkeley may grow and develop in a way that meets the people's needs. She enjoys playing all sports, particularly tennis and volleyball, and is currently taking a yoga class. In the past year, she has had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad and travel in Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia. What she enjoys most about traveling is experiencing the art and architecture, the local cuisine, the festivals, and the cultures of other peoples. She feel fortunate to say that she has traveled to as many countries as her years in age, 21 countries thus far.

Marbeya Garcia Bermudez
City of Oakland, Public Works Agency
I am a first year Anthropology major and am currently interning for the Oakland Public Works Agency. I'm originally from Santa Rosa, CA where I lived with my brother, my mother, and my longhaired Chihuahua, Blackie. Throughout my life I've always been intrigued by social justice and the impact government has on society. Hopefully, my experience at Public Works helps me develop my passion of someday working for non-profits and becoming an attorney.

Sunny Huang
City of Berkeley, Office of Councilmember Jesse Arreguin
Sunny is a first year intended Business Administration and Political Science major from Vancouver, BC, Canada. She has previously worked for the City of Vancouver as a member of a Civic Advisory Body that dealt with issues such as youth homelessness and restorative justice. She hopes that she can better the Berkeley community through her work at the Office of Councilmember Jesse Arreguin.

Alex Jonlin
City of Emeryville, Planning Department
Alex is a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Urban Studies and Linguistics. He grew up being involved in local government, serving on several City and State boards and commissions in the Seattle area. Now that he is at Cal, he is excited to become involved in local government in the East Bay as an intern at the City of Emeryville Planning Department.

Haley Lee
City of Berkeley, Aging Services
Haley is a 2nd year intended Political Economy major and Public Policy minor at Cal. She was born in South Korea, and moved to Tianjin, China during middle school. Based on her involvement with the Tianjin and Berkeley community service works, she believes in the power of an individual’s role in forming a healthy society. As an intern of the Cal in Local Government program, She is driven by this strong motivation and enthusiasm to share what she has learned at Cal with other students, city staff, and residents.

Javier Mendez
City of Emeryville, City Manager Office
Javier is a senior Development Studies major from Oxnard, California. Prior to Cal, he served 9 years in the Army Reserve with 3 years on active duty. During his internship, he hopes to gain valuable experience in the public sector and learn from current leaders in the field. Making use of this experience, he also hopes to achieve his goals of working for Teach for America and eventually receiving a Masters in Public Administration.

Yunhee Roh
UC Berkeley,
Office of Local Government and Community Relations
Yunhee Roh is a junior majoring in Sociology at University of California, Berkeley. She is from South Korea and this is her 3rd year in the United States. She found her social awareness from her experience in a non-profit organization in South Korea seeking for the better education and the human rights of Korean students. She has always been looking for a better policy to be applied in order to promote the equity and life quality. She is so excited to be an intern in the Local Government and Community Relations!

Amanda Sadra
City of Berkeley, Youth Services
Amanda Sadra is a third year at the University of Caifornia, Berkeley. She is currently pursuing a major in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations in addition to a minor in Human Rights. Her interests include middle eastern politics in addition to the politics of developing countries. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, movies, writing fiction and spending time with friends and family.

Nina Savin
City of Berkeley,
Office of Councilmember Kriss Worthington
Nina Savin is an exchange student at Cal from France. She is a junior and her major is Political Science. She will be an intern at Kriss Worthington's office this year.

David Sverdlov
City of Emeryville, Department for Economic Development and Affordable Housing
David is a 4th year student majoring in History and minoring in Public Policy. He is interested in law, particularly criminal and environmental law. He chose to intern at Emeryville’s
Department for Economic Development and Affordable Housing in order to research and compile policy suggestions with the hope of creating tangible change in
the City of Emeryville’s housing market. Outside of school and work, he likes to read, hike, and watch television.

Karnig Takvorian
City of Berkeley, Peace and Justice Comission
Karnig is a fourth year at UC Berkeley studying Political Economy and minoring in Public Policy. Of Armenian and Colombian ethnic background, he’s heavily involved in those communities on campus, having served on the executive board of the Armenian Student Association and participated in helping lay the groundwork for MEMSA, the middle eastern coalition at Cal. He’s also active in the queer community, and hopes to be a positive force for progress and change not only for LGBTQIA individuals attending Berkeley but also for minorities of all identities. After graduation, he aspires to attend law school, and eventually become a member of a non-profit or NGO, looking to one day found his own organization.

Henna Trewn
City of Berkeley, Rent Board Commissioner Igor Tregub
Henna is a third year undergraduate student at UC Berkeley
studying Political Economy and hoping to complete a minor in Energy and Resources. While interning for Rent Board Commissioner Igor Tregub, she hopes to work not only on
landlord and renter issues, but also on improving the efficiency and sustainability of multi-unit residential buildings, and other energy or environmental-focused projects. In the future, she hopes to work in energy policy and development work. She loves creative writing and enjoys watching anything written/directed/produced by Joss Whedon.

Karla Vasquez
City of Oakland, Office of Emergency Services
Karla is a fourth-year Public Health major and City and Regional Planning minor at UC Berkeley. She is interested in various social issues such as health, education, poverty and human rights. During her CLG internship at Oakland’s Office of Emergency Services, she hopes to learn more about the importance and process of policy and how such policies are implemented to affect people’s lives. During her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling and biking.

Taylor Ann Whittemore
City of Berkeley, Climate Change Administrative Regulations
Taylor Ann Whittemore is a third year Environmental Economics & Policy and English major. She is interested in environmental law and policy and intends on studying law after she graduates. She is also the vice chair of CALPIRG and enjoys sewing and reading in her free time.

Juliet Flores Wilson
City of Berkeley, Rent Stabilization Board
Juliet is a second year Urban Studies major and Public Policy minor at the University of California, Berkeley. She is hugely interested in issues pertaining to affordable housing and community and economic development, and is thus honored to have the opportunity to intern at the City of Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board for the upcoming year. She has worked extensively in the affordable housing field (particularly on projects pertaining to farmworker housing), and she ultimately hopes to pursue a Masters of City Planning following her graduation from Berkeley. In her free time, Juliet enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring restaurants in the Bay Area.

Andrew Woo
Berkeley Unified School District,
Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment Intern
Andrew is currently a sophomore majoring in Political Science and pursuing a minor in Public Policy, hoping to be admitted into law school as to pursue a career in legal/public policy field. He is involved with the University of California Marching Band as a proud Cal Band Trumpet, having been the youngest in a family with two other Berkeley students, and is constantly searching for new opportunities such as with Cal in Local Government to become a thoughtful leader and student who devotes his years here to better the community around him, especially younger students. He hopes to continue working with professionals in local government to focus on the community issues that matter to the people of Berkeley, and thanks his family, friends, and past teachers who have helped made him the Cal Bear he is today and strives to be into the future."

Rui Xu
UC Berkeley, Office of State Government Relations
Rui is a third year Economics major with a focus on international macroeconomic policy. She is currently an intern at the UC Berkeley State Government Relations office. She is a big coffee drinker, a museum goer, a film lover, and a tango dancer.

Deanna Yee
City of Berkeley, Public Health Division
Deanna is a 4th year Public Health major, with a City and Regional Planning minor, from San Francisco, CA. She is interested in health policy, community health and development, and how city design influences access to healthcare. On campus, she is currently involved with InterVarsity’s Cal Christian Fellowship and the Suitcase Clinic, a student-run organization that provides free health and social services to the underserved population of Berkeley. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, cooking, baking, and watching movies.

Alice Zhang
City of Berkeley, Office of Councilmember Gordon Wozniak
Alice is a senior (Class of 2013) majoring in Economics and Statistics with an intended minor in Public Policy. She is an international student from China, where she was raised in Harbin and lived in Beijing for 7 years. She is interning at the City of Berkeley Councilmember Gordon Wozniak's office. Councilmember Wozniak's office partners with student groups in Berkeley on the issues of sustainability and pedestrian-friendly cities. Her project will focus on the Berkeley Climate Action Plan, and she expects to work with the Greeks and Co-Ops to reduce emissions from residential buildings, which is a major component of our emission inventory. Her interest in sustainable development and climate change mitigation stem from past courses, research, grassroot activism, and work experience. She believes that public service is an excellent way to reflect on what we've learnt and give back to the community. After graduate school, she hopes to confront the tradeoff between economic development and environmental justice. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, doing yoga, photography and going to the zoo!

Tian Zou
City of Berkeley, Mayor’s Office
Tian is third year Economics major, minoring in IEOR. She is interested in finance, law and politics. In her free time, she enjoys reading, waveboarding, dancing salsa and other fun outdoor activities.