Policy and Social Impact
Careers in Policy and Social Impact welcomes all students who are interested in making an impact on the world through internships and beyond graduation. Students pursue careers in a broad range of fields including think tanks, local and federal government, global health, human rights as well as with the quickly evolving sectors in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, impact and non-profit consulting, and economic development. For all these areas, program advisers offer guidance and industry expertise to help students identify public policy and service opportunities best suited to their skills and interests.
Stay Connected
Careers in Policy and Social Impact provides several ways for you to stay in touch and to learn about opportunities and activities in policy and social impact. Our newsletters include:
Careers in Policy and Social Impact. A weekly newsletter about the opt-in Fried Public Policy and Service Program cohort and a second weekly newsletter on internships and jobs in policy and social impact.
UChicago Climate and Energy Careers. A weekly newsletter on experiential education, internships, and jobs in sustainability and the environment.
Global Health and Health Policy. A weekly newsletter with all of Career Advancement’s opportunities in Global Health!
Schedule an Appointment
Advising appointments are one-on-one meetings. Students can make an appointment through Handshake to have a strategic conversation about their career, prepare the best application materials possible, find resources to search for internships and jobs, or sharpen their interview skills.
Our team of expert advisors includes professionals with experience in government, public policy, advocacy, and global health. All of our advisors can speak to you about policy and social impact careers, but they also have discipline-area expertise as well:
Maha Ezalarab, Program Director. Maha works closely with students interested in global health and health equity. She has a public health and global health background working in internationally-focused organizations.
Tala Ali-Hasan, Senior Assistant Director. Tala collaborates with students who are interested generally in public policy and policy graduate school. She has a background in Chicago nonprofits and is a graduate of the College and Harris School of Public Policy.
Bethany Malzman, Assistant Director. Bethany works with students interested in careers across the policy and social impact sectors. She has an academic and professional background in policy, international education, and talent development.
Sign-up for an appointment with any of our advisors to get started!
Apply for Internships
Careers in Policy and Social Impact will help you identify internship opportunities to build professional skills and industry expertise. Organizations that have hosted UChicago students for internships include the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Human Rights Watch, Milken Institute, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, African Federation for Emergency Medicine, the Robin Hood Foundation, Juvenile Protective Association, Brookings Institution, and many others.
There are a variety of ways to learn about hundreds of opportunities we help to facilitate and post, including:
Sign-up for an advising appointment on Handshake.
Sign-up for all of our weekly newsletters, as well as the weekly Metcalf newsletter with a list of all currently posted Jeff Metcalf Internships.
Filter for “2023-2024 Metcalf” on Handshake while searching for internships.
Support Our Students
The continued support of alumni plays an integral role in the success of students involved in Careers in Policy and Social Impact. We welcome employers to engage by speaking with students, joining career panels, hosting an intern or extern, or making a gift to the program. If you are interested in any of these options or would like to get involved in other ways, please contact Maha Ezalarab at ezalarab@uchicago.edu
Join a Program
Responding to students’ diverse interests, Careers in Policy and Social Impact offers many cohort-based programs, each designed to guide students in their career path, help to build skills, hone interests, and sharpen applications for internships and full-time jobs.
Open, Opt-In Programs
The Fried Public Policy and Service Program is designed to provide a diverse range of career resources for mission-driven students, including professional development events, career treks, and networking opportunities.
UChicago Democracy Careers is an initiative of the Fried Public Policy and Service Program designed to accelerate the careers of students interested in working on democracy issues.
UChicago Climate and Energy Careers is an open-participation track that supports students who are interested in environmental and sustainability careers.
Global Health Careers has a variety of ways to engagement and develop as a global health professional through programs, fellowships, and challenges.
Selective Cohorts
The Public Policy Leaders Program is a three-year, selective track offered for students who are ambitious about pursuing public sector and social impact careers.
This 3+ year intensive program is designed to give students the skills necessary to launch a successful career in social innovation, along with funding to pursue a public service project. Program components include skills building workshops, social impact advising, mentorship from industry leaders, community building events, and grant funding to support the implementation of a social impact project. Applications will open in Fall 2024.
The Luther H. Foster, Jr. Public Service Internship Program provides career resources, leadership development, and funded internship opportunities for students who are dedicated to promoting the success of underrepresented populations in public interest careers, including government, policy, think tanks, nonprofits, and social service.
The Careers in Policy and Social Impact team partners closely with the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights to offer internship opportunities to students exploring global human rights. Learn more about the program.
The Global Health Scholars Program is a selective track that introduces undergraduates to a broad scope of functions needed in the field of health equity. Learn more.
The Kiphart Collegiate Fellows Program provides students with stipends to support experiential learning internships in global health and social development, with a preferred focus on the Global South. Learn more.
The Green Data Program is an early engagement program for students to accelerate their professional development at the nexus of data, public policy, and sustainability. Learn more.
Contact Us
For more information about Careers in Policy and Social Impact, please contact Maha Ezalarab at ezalarab@uchicago.edu