Hinckley outreach coordinator Chase Nelson outlines internship, scholarship and study‑abroad options

Chase Nelson, outreach coordinator at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, outlined the institute’s internship and student‑engagement programs at a Hinckley Forum at the University of Utah, highlighting paid placements, scholarships and course credit intended to make civic internships broadly accessible.

Nelson said Hinckley places hundreds of students annually in local, legislative, Washington, D.C., and global internships and that most programs carry academic credit. “We send up to 50 students every single semester to go live out in DC,” he said, describing a housing program and scholarship support intended to lower student costs.

Why it matters: Hinckley internships give students hands‑on experience, professional networks and academic credit that can both clarify career choices and improve competitiveness for jobs and graduate programs, Nelson said. He framed internships as a way to test career interests before committing to expensive postgraduate paths.

Program highlights and costs - Local internships: Part‑time (roughly 10–20 hours per week) placements with more than 100 host offices in the Salt Lake Valley. Students may also enroll an independently secured internship through Hinckley’s “set up your own” pathway after Hinckley verifies a supervisor and worksite. - Youth Service Corps: University‑hired positions focused on the nonprofit sector, which Nelson said pay $18 per hour, provide academic credit (three credits), and include scholarship opportunities. - Legislative internship: A full‑time, in‑session spring placement that places students in the Utah State Capitol during the legislative session; Nelson said applicants must typically have at least 60 credit hours. - Washington, D.C.: Hinckley’s DC program houses students in a Hinckley facility (the Hatch Center) and can cost “as low as $1,000” for a semester after a $1,000 housing scholarship; Nelson said Hinckley seeks paid placements and provides an additional $2,000 scholarship where placements are unpaid. - Global internships: Hub placements in Australia, the U.K. and Asia, often with host organizations covering housing and meals; Hinckley offers program‑specific scholarships and reduced per‑credit rates for participating students.

Deadlines, application steps and residency option Nelson described the application flow: choose one program per semester, submit an online application, interview with a program director, and enroll once a host office confirms an offer. He listed sample deadlines and priority windows — for example, he said the local summer application closed Sept. 15, DC closes March 15 for some fall placements, and some global program priority dates include April 1 with a hard deadline of June 1 — and advised early applications to maximize scholarship opportunities.

Nelson also described an option for out‑of‑state freshmen to intern in their home state during the summer and preserve eligibility for in‑state residency for tuition if they secure an academic internship, provide a supervisor, and follow Hinckley’s verification steps. He said Hinckley provides a letter of support but does not make residency determinations.

Other opportunities and supports Nelson noted Hinckley’s forum series, the Hinckley Report (a PBS program he said recently won a regional Emmy), the Hinckley Journal, campaign‑management coursework, and short‑term programs such as Capital Encounter and Global Encounter (semester courses culminating in short trips to meet officials in DC, London and Brussels). He closed with an invitation for students to visit hinckley.utah.edu or the Hinckley office for help with applications and questions.

Quotes and attribution rules: All direct quotes in this article are attributed to speakers included in the meeting’s speaker list; when statements in the forum could not be tied to a single named speaker (for example, generic references to student experiences) they are reported in paraphrase.

Next steps: Students seeking internships should check Hinckley’s website for up‑to‑date deadlines, contact the Hinckley office or Nelson directly for individualized help, and apply early for priority scholarship consideration.