Objectives
Provide opportunities for students to work in state government. Raise student awareness and understanding of government, politics and policy. Offer a unique summer experience with brown bag lectures, social events and outings.
Contact US
Email us at calinsacramento@berkeley.edu.
To Apply
Download an application for the 2008 class, fill it out, and return it to Room 111, Moses Hall, by October 12.
Support CIS
Support the Cal in Sacramento Program by making a designated gift to the Friends of IGS.
People
Elizabeth Oliver — Student Director, Cal in Sacramento Program
elizabetholiver@berkeley.edu
Ethan Rarick — Director, Center on Politics
Juanito Rus — Assistant Director, Center on Politics
CIS Sponsors
Institute of Governmental Studies
California Alumni Association
ASUC
Office of Student Life (UCB Minnie Jane Little Harron Fund)
What are the Platinum Fellowships?
We are the University of California's largest — and one of the nation's most prestigious — campus-based public service internship programs. Over three decades, more than 500 Cal students have gone to Sacramento under our auspices to garner first-hand experience in the most dynamic state capital in the country. Many of these students have gone on to careers in politics, government, and public service.
Platinum Fellows spend an intensive eight weeks working in Assembly and Senate offices, the Governor's office, state agencies, public interest groups, and media organizations. These are not make-work jobs. Students organize public hearings, research legislation, develop new bills, and monitor crucial issues. By working on the front lines of politics and media, Platinum Fellows build the skills that are essential to California's next generation of leaders.
Applications for the 2008 program are due Friday, October 12, 2007 in Room 111, Moses Hall.
An informational session will be held Monday, September 24, 2007 at 7 p.m. in Room 109, Moses Hall. Come and learn more about the program.
How you can become a Platinum Fellow
Attend the informational session at the Center on Politics at the Institute of Governmental Studies. Then apply for the program and be interviewed.
Take Political Science 110B in the spring semester.
Find the internship that's right for you, whether it's in a legislative office, the governor's office, or a nonprofit organization. We'll help you find a place that suits your interests.
Political Science 110B
Fellows are required to take a two-unit Political Science class in the spring semester prior to their internship. It is intended to acquaint the Fellows with the political process, structure and atmosphere of Sacramento and to update them on key issues facing the state.
The class will be taught this year by former Assemblywoman Wilma Chan, the Institute of Governmental Studies Legislator-in-Residence.
Finding an Internship
Student Directors assist Fellows with their employment search. They help locate appropriate offices for applications, develop an "employment packet" for each Fellow, and work with Fellows on resume writing. Ultimately, Fellows are responsible for finding their internships, including going to Sacramento to interview with prospective employers.
Alumni Networking
In Sacramento, Fellows meet and are mentored by the program's alumni who are now professionals in state government, policymaking, law, and related fields. Alumni attend fall and summer receptions for new Fellows.
Housing Arrangements
The Student Directors arrange housing for the Fellows. We anticipate that we will be able to provide housing for all Fellows with a demonstrated need, although scholarships are not guaranteed.
Housing Scholarships
Based on need, financial aid in the form of living stipends is also available to the Fellows.
Why Platinum Fellows?
The Cal in Sacramento program recognizes its participants as Platinum Fellows to honor a generous gift from Darius Anderson, the founder and president of Platinum Advisors, a lobbying, public affairs, and strategic planning company with offices throughout California and in Washington, D.C. Through his generosity, Mr. Anderson, who is also the chairman of the National Advisory Council of the Institute of Governmental Studies, has allowed us to augment the program significantly with housing subsidies and living stipends, ensuring that this exciting opportunity is open to all Berkeley students.