Institute of Politics

  • Internships & Careers
  • Career Advising & Workshops

Career Advising & Workshops

Our Career Workshops allow for deep dives into specific fields within public service and the skills you'd need to succeed in those sectors. Additionally, students can meet with our Career Development team for career advising as well as help on their resume and cover letter.

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Mark

Mark Schauerte manages the placement of undergraduate and graduate students in internships nationwide and internationally. At the IOP, Mark helps bring speakers to campus to discuss career paths, roles in politics and journalism, and skills for students to position themselves for careers in public service. He previously served as chief of staff to Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) for more than four years, working both in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago suburbs. Mark is also an attorney and worked as an award-winning journalist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Chicago Lawyer Magazine.

Laresa

Laresa Lund helps manage the IOP’s 300+ academic-year and summer internships, with a primary focus on the Chicago-based academic-year internship portfolio. Her areas of expertise include Chicago-based internships, resume development, cover letter writing, and networking preparation. She is also excited to help rural students, folks interested in conservation work, and those searching for AmeriCorps opportunities.

Kenzi

Availability: Wednesdays, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Kenzi Bustamante is a fourth-year rural student from Missouri involved with College Republicans and Students for Life. She’s completing her undergraduate studies at UChicago in Biology, and is part of the BA/MPP Harris program. Kenzi has held internships in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and she specializes in Chicago and D.C. opportunities, international internships, conservative opportunities, nonprofits, and connecting you with programs on campus.

Laura

Availability: Mondays, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Laura Giugno is a fourth-year in the College from Rochester, New York. She is a Political Science, Philosophy, and Law, Letters, and Society triple major and active in debate and research through the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. She can share about her experience as a White House Intern and as an investigative intern with the Public Defender’s Office, as well as building a network in DC.

Phil

Availability: Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Phil Horrigan is a third-year in the College majoring in Political Science and minoring in Data Science and Classics. He transferred to UChicago after spending his freshman year at Fordham University in the Bronx. There, he worked for US Representative Adriano at his district office. This year, he worked for the League of Women Voters and for Kam Buckner's campaign to be mayor of Chicago. He’s been working with the Career Development team since the summer and he's excited to help students with networking and job searching.

Emma

Availability: Tuesdays, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Emma Kortebein is a second-year Master of Public Policy student from Milwaukee with a focus on economic and foreign policy. She's also an Executive Editor for the Chicago Policy Review and a Writing Fellow with the Harris Writing Workshop. Before graduate school, Emma had a chance to do a little bit of everything, including experiences in consulting, a mental health start-up, election campaigns and a brief stint in the UK as a backpacking guide. She is looking forward to helping students hone in on their career interests and create materials that best reflect what they have to offer.

Hannah

Availability: Thursdays, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Hannah Gaffney is a second-year Master of Public Policy student who is interested in increasing turnout among low-propensity voters. After receiving her undergraduate degree in International Studies from the University of Washington, she spent four years working at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, first in the Philanthropy department and later in the Office of the General Counsel. Hannah is eager to expand access and broaden internship opportunities at the IOP and help students explore their professional strengths and interests.

Register for Career Workshops

The IOP's Career Development program offers a variety of workshops aimed at preparing students with all levels of experience for a career in public service.

Our career team helps students write their resume and cover letter, become comfortable with networking, and hone interviewing skills. We also invite political practitioners to network with students and share their experiences within their respective fields.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, many of our workshops will be Lunch & Learns on Fridays from 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. We'll gather in the IOP living room, eat pizza, and put our heads together to prepare you for your desired career field.

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