Organizations - @ LMU and Beyond

Here is a short list of organizations for students interested in learning more about scholarship, internship, and membership opportunities. For more information, please contact the Political Science Department at (310) 338-2806.

Institute for Leadership Studies at LMU - The goal of the Loyola Marymount University Institute for Leadership Studies (ILS) is to teach students about leadership, while preparing them for leadership positions. This involves a combination of academic and experiential activities. The ILS helps students apply for exciting programs, including the London Program, Oxford Program, Hansard Scholars Program, and an internship in Washington D.C.

Center for the Study of Los Angeles - Founded in 1994 with a grant from the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University is at the forefront of regional urban studies. The Center’s mission is to promote research in the living urban laboratory that is Los Angeles in order to better understand urban America.

Political Science Association - The Political Science Association is run by political science majors and professors. PSA hosts numerous events during the year, including movie nights, forums, and speaker events. Please contact Dr. Wayne Le Cheminant for more information. He may be reached at wlecheminant@lmu.edu.

Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society - Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of government in the United States. The number of Pi Sigma Alpha chapters on campuses across the country is rapidly approaching 700. Pi Sigma Alpha is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

Washington D.C. Internship-As part of the program, a LMU student is chosen annually to intern at the White House over the summer months. Besides the practical work experience and knowledge gained from such an internship, interns practice in a weekly speaker series, job-skills workshop and evening issue lectures. Seminars are on a wide range of job-related issues ranging from time management to career planning. Participating LMU students have the opportunity to work in various departments of the White House.

Westchester Chamber of Commerce - Students will be involved in analyzing policy that impacts the Westchester community and LMU. Student will participate and help at various levels such as city, county and state.

Children’s Law Center - Involves an internship with a law firm that represents the interests of Los Angeles' most vulnerable children. Please consult Dr. Evan Gerstmann, egerstma@lmu.edu or (310) 338-3004.

Pacific Research Institute Policy Interns - Summer policy internships are available within the Pacific Research Institute's four research centers: education, entrepreneurship, the environment, and technology. Applicants for the education internship must be willing to work in PRI’s Sacramento office; the other positions are based in San Francisco. Job responsibilities include research assistance and some administrative duties, as well as the opportunity to write op-eds and/or short policy briefings for possible publication. Internships typically begin in early June and conclude in late August. To apply, send a resume and cover letter to:

Lisa Mac Lellan, VP, Public Policy
755 Sansome St., Suite 450
San Francisco, CA 94111
Email: lmaclellan@pacificresearch.org

Cato Institute -There are a wide variety of departments in which interns work at the Cato Institute. Policy areas include such subjects as health care and entitlements reform, constitutional law, energy policy, and foreign and military policy. Interns assist department directors and research assistants with research and data collection. Some interns are assigned to the Media Relations and Development departments, where they get hands-on experience working with journalists and donors, respectively. We do our best to align interns and their preferences.

Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship - Awarded to undergraduates who are majoring in Political Science and are U.S. citizens. This scholarship is able to be annually renewed for $10,000. Required GPA is 3.0, and student must be a dependent of an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) member. For applications and additional information please contact:

Director of Scholarships
AFSCME Foundation Department
1625 L Street NW
Washington, DC 206-241-1777