Commonwealth Relations

The James G. Fulton
Legislative Internship Program

Each summer, the Pittsburgh Foundation sponsors four internships with elected members of the Pennsylvania and US House and Senate in Harrisburg and Washington, DC. These internships are offered to college students from Allegheny and adjoining counties through the Foundation's James G. Fulton Legislative Internship Program. Interns are selected through an annual application process. They serve eight weeks during the summer and are paid a $2,000 stipend to cover living expenses.

James G. Fulton

The James G. Fulton Legislative Internship Program was established at the Pittsburgh Foundation in 1972 as a lasting memorial to the late Congressman from Dormaont. The non-partisan legislative internship program was considered an especially fitting tribute. Throughout Congressman Fulton's 27-year political career, he trained more than 100 students in his own legislative offices. His purpose in doing this was to prepare them to face the challenges, responsibilities and rewards of public life.

The Internship

Interns who have completed the Fulton program have reported back to the Pittsburgh Foundation the wide variety of interesting and useful experiences they gained. Among the typical duties they have described are: drafting correspondence to constituents and various government agencies or officials; data entry; doing research for staff members; preparing large mailings; observing hearings; and attending a variety of caucus and committee meetings, fundraisers and other political/social events.

Heather Diehl, who served in the Harrisburg office of a state representative, described the many exciting and challenging activities in which she participated. She observed the legislative process up close on the House Floor; attended meetings of the Allegheny County, Freshmen, Democratic and Substance Abuse Caucuses; of the Military and Veterans Affairs, Policy, Professional Licensure and Judiciary Committees; and of the Jobs Task Force. She helped draft an amendment to a bill creating a prisoners work force and wrote correspondence to constituents about a wide variety of subjects, including welfare reform, school choice, workers' compensation, judicial reform and Outcome-Based Education.

Perhaps Heather captured the essence of the Fulton Internship experience when she wrote:

"The Fulton Internship sharpened my interest in politics as a discipline, and in state and local government as a specialization. It provided me with a thorough understanding of state politics at a level that would be impossible to reach through schooling alone. I have been transformed from a student understanding the concepts behind the legislative process into a staffer familiar with details and equipped with a new vocabulary. It was an invaluable learning experience, one that is sure to serve me well in the future."

Eligibility

Applicants for the James G. Fulton Legislative Internship must meet the following criteria:

The applicant must be an undergraduate college student.
The applicant's family must reside in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, or an adjoining county.
The applicant must be available to serve the internship for 8 weeks between June and September.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete the James G. Fulton Legislative Internship Application Form. The application form may be obtained by calling the Pittsburgh Foundation at (412) 391-5122, or by writing to the Foundation at the address listed below. The application should include the applicant's grade point average or equivalent and detailed information about previous work or volunteer experience and extracurricular activities.

Along with the application form, applicants must enclose:

A typewritten statement, not to exceed 300 words, indicating why the applicant wishes to participate in the program, and what he or she hopes to gain from the internship.
College or university transcripts from all schools attended.
A letter of recommendation from an academic dean or faculty member attesting to the applicant's overall academic proficiency and interest in government or political activities.
A letter of recommendation from EITHER a political figure who knows the applicant personally and has knowledge of the applicant's interest in practical politics, OR from a local community, business or cultural leader who knows the applicant personally. (Letters of recommendation from family members and relatives of the applicant are not acceptable.)

The James G. Fulton Internship Fund Committee considers all of the preceeding in selecting interns, therefore, it is critical that applicants submit a complete application package. All applications must be received by October 31 of each year in order for winners to be able to serve an internship the following summer. Four winners and two alternates (who will serve should any of the four winners decline) will be notified each year in December.

Applications should be sent to:

Grants Administrator
James G. Fulton Internship Program
The Pittsburgh Foundation
One PPG Place, 30th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-5401
http://www.iop.pitt.edu/documents/FultonGowApplication.doc

General Information

Winners are required to submit a written report and journal to the Pittsburgh Foundation upon completion of the internship.
The Pittsburgh Foundation will handle all arrangements pertaining to the actual placement of interns in an appropriate legislative office in either Harrisburg or Washington, DC. However, interns must make their own living arrangements.

Contact

Grants Administrator
James G. Fulton Internship Program
The Pittsburgh Foundation
One PPG Place, 30th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-5401