The Todd Otis Public Policy Internship is a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about Minnesota’s early learning policy and advocacy landscape.  

The intern will work with Think Small’s policy team to advance the organization’s public policy priorities. Work varies throughout the session and will include opportunities to support grassroots and direct lobbying efforts. They will attend hearings and meetings with state legislators at the Capitol to learn first-hand about the state legislative process.   

They will also support policy communications efforts by utilizing platforms such as email, social media, and the Think Small blog.   

There will be opportunities to collaborate with external early education partners and learn more about Think Small’s role in early care and education. Check out our blog posts to learn more about the experiences of past interns. 

Think Small started the Todd Otis Public Policy Internship to recognize Todd’s contributions and build on his legacy. Our goal is to create more early learning advocates to continue Todd’s work. Learn more about Todd Otis. 

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY: 

Think Small, Minnesota's leader in early learning, is dedicated to advancing early childhood care and education.  We are still committed to the principles that gave rise to our organization 50 years ago - that the quality of a child's early experiences greatly influences his or her success later in life and there is much that can be done to improve the quality of early childhood settings to optimize a child's development.

RESPONSIBILITIES:     

  • Attend Think Small and external events to increase knowledge of the field and strengthen partnerships 

  • Review news articles and reports to understand latest early care and education developments 

  • Learn about the state legislative process through first-hand experience such as attending hearings and meetings with legislators 

  • Interact with early care and education coalitions 

  • Assist with organizing activities and support policy priorities 

  • Support Think Small’s advocacy communications plan by utilizing tools including Quorum Grassroots, X (Twitter), and Facebook 

  • Submit written summaries of hearings and events attended 

  • Schedule and attend a personal meeting with state legislators 

REQUIREMENTS:   

  • High school diploma or GED  

  • Interest in early childhood policy and advocacy  

  • Ability to travel around the metro (mileage and parking reimbursement provided). This role will be a mix of in-person and remote depending on the activities for the day. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Details:  

  • The internship will span the legislative session, from January 8-May 23, 2025.  

  • The intern will be paid $18/hour and work about 10 hours per week, usually during the 8:00-5:00 work day. 

Please Submit: 

  • Cover Letter or Personal Statement addressing the following questions: 

    • What is your experience with early care and education? 

    • What do you hope to gain from this internship? 

    • How will you use this experience to help your community? 

  • Resume 

Important: 

 Applications are due November 17.