UChicago Democracy Careers

Career Advancement and the Democracy Curriculum are proud to offer UChicago Democracy Careers! Get involved with UChicago Democracy Careers and explore exciting careers in a range of fields, from journalism to public service, focused on democratic institutions.

A pathway within the Careers in Policy and Social Impact program, UChicago Democracy Careers provides highly tailored advising, experiential pre-professional opportunities, and cohort-based development for students in the College.

Explore Your Interests

Get engaged in the democratic process and pursue careers at a wide range of employers!

Personalized Advising

Meet with one of our expert advisers for personalized support on your career journey. The team has a wide range of relevant professional backgrounds, from political campaigns to federal government experience to NGO operations. To meet with an adviser, sign-up for an appointment with one of the members of the team on Handshake!

Career Treks

Career “treks” are experiences that give students the opportunity to meet multiple employers in their field of interest from a specific city or region. Attending a trek can help you connect with employers who are key participants in democracy. Treks are an excellent way to explore different career paths and rapidly grow your professional network.

Past treks have also given students to explore key elements of the democratic process such as human rights, the environment, and law.

Treks take place during winter, spring, and summer breaks. Visit the upcoming treks page to stay up to date on future treks!

Get Professional Experience

Democracy-Focused Jobs and Internships

Get hands-on experience by interning with a number of employers doing critical work focused on democracy and within democratic institutions. Relevant employers who have hired candidates from UChicago for jobs and internships include:

  • Chicago Board of Election Commissioners

  • Chicago Center on Democracy

  • City of Chicago – Office of the Mayor

  • Cook County

  • She Should Run

  • National Constitution Center

  • NAACP LDF Thurgood Marshall Institute

  • State of Illinois – Office of the Governor

Get Involved at UChicago

Students can hit the ground running by partnering with on-campus institutions, centers, and offices focused on democracy. Career Advancement commonly partners with the Institute of Politics, the UChicago Office of Federal Relations, the Chicago Center for Democracy, the Center for Effective Government, and the Harris School of Public Policy to help facilitate on-campus internships and research opportunities. Sign-up with an adviser on Handshake to discuss how to take advantage of these opportunities!

Questions?

For more information about democracy career resources, contact Maha Ezalarab at ezalarab@uchicago.edu.