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Future Leaders University Partnerships

About the Future Leaders University Partner Model

The Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program is an exciting, paid opportunity for students of all majors to gain professional experience in federal and state government. Since 2022, the program has placed highly skilled talent from across the country into government internships. The program offers students the opportunity to work in a government agency, gain substantive experience and participate in the Partnership’s professional development programming. As of Summer 2026, the program has placed over 700 interns into government internships. 

In 2025, we launched the University Partnership Model to continue to operate the program amid a changing government landscape. Through our university partnerships, students who apply from partner schools will be considered for public service internships across the following program tracks: 

  • Data Science

    Interested in using your data science skills for the public good? Agencies across government need data scientists. This track is open to candidates from technical backgrounds that include: computer science; engineering; statistics; mathematics; economics; data analytics; data science; information technology; business, finance; biostatistics; data analytics in artificial intelligence or machine learning; and physics.

  • Public Administration

    May include positions in finance, human resources, management/administration, or similar fields.

  • Public Interest Technology & AI

    Public Interest Technology & AI positions may include a focus on operations technology-focused policy, AI policy, design, writing/editing, program management, data analysis, entrepreneurship and stakeholder management. This track is open to candidates from both technical and social science backgrounds, but candidates must be interested in technology innovation and harnessing the full potential of technology and AI for public good.

How does the Future Leaders in Public Service University Partner Model work?

The Partnership’s Role

The Partnership for Public Service works with university partners to place student interns for a semester at no cost to the employing agency. The Partnership administers the following aspects of the internship program: 

  • Student recruitment
  • Application management
  • Government agency coordination
  • Internship placement support 
  • Onboarding support
  • Program orientation
  • Student support
  • Professional development and networking events 

The University Partner’s Role

The University Partner’s role includes marketing the opportunity to their students to recruit applicants and providing the internship stipends for their students. University partners must commit to the following: 

  • Share the Partnership’s mission in providing meaningful career opportunities in public service to their students to recruit the next generation of future leaders.
  • Willingness to promote public interest technology and AI roles to their students, no matter their major.
  • For summer cohorts – provide stipends or total compensation of at least $5,000 for a minimum of 10 participating students for full-time internships.
    • Total compensation may include a combination of stipends, housing, and other benefits. 
  • For fall and spring cohorts – provide stipends or total compensation of at least $3,500 for a minimum of 5-10 participating students for part-time internships.
    • Total compensation may include a combination of stipends, housing, and other benefits. 

We welcome collaboration with specific programs on campus that may already provide students with funding and/or additional infrastructure for internships. 

Current Partners

Fall 2026 University Partners

See below for a list of our current Fall 2026 university partners.

Spring 2027 University Partners

See below for a list of our current Spring 2027 university partners.

Summer 2027 University Partner Updates Coming Soon!

Interested in Becoming a University Partner?

For more information about becoming a Future Leaders university partner, please reach out to our team with any questions at internships@ourpublicservice.org.

Recruitment for Fall 2027 university partners will begin in mid-fall 2026.

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