The Student PIRGs

Students have the power to shape the future we will inherit. We work with professional staff at colleges and universities to make sure our peers have the skills, opportunities and training they need to create a better, more sustainable future for all of us. For over 40 years we’ve helped students to get organized, mobilized and energized so they can continue to be on the cutting edge of positive change.

Recently our national network helped to turn out record breaking levels of young voters across the country on our New Voters Project. We also have had major campaign victories to move campuses to commit to 100% renewable energy, ban single use plastics, commit to affordable course material options, and more.

Club Team

Our Activist Bootcamp program operates on over 100 of the largest and most prestigious campuses across the country to provide the training, professional support and resources students need to tackle issues they care about. By taking on an internship with the PIRG club program you will work on issues ranging from combating climate change, to protecting public health, revitalizing our democracy, feeding the hungry and more. We know students have been at the forefront of social change throughout history, from civil rights, to voting rights to protecting the environment and this program is intended to build up leaders ready to be at the forefront of movements today.

Internship Description

As an intern you will not only be able to make an impact on these issues right away but also learn the skills of what it takes to organize grassroots campaigns on issues you care about for the long term.  

Interns will have the opportunity to work on issues like:

• Environmental Protections - Banning single use plastic, protecting our natural spaces, 100% renewable energy, clean water, and more.

• Higher Education - Textbooks affordability, protecting federal and statewide grant programs, expanding student aid, etc.

• Public Health - Covid-19 campaigns, stop the overuse of antibiotics, and more.

• Democracy Protection - Protecting Voting Rights, Institutionalizing voting best practices on campus, Modernizing the vote, and more.

Interns will gain skills in the following areas:

• Building Grassroots Support - Petitioning, Phonebanking, etc.

• Event Planning

• Organizing Grasstops/VIP support

• Media Work- write LTE’s, release campaign press advisories and releases, hold virtual press conferences, etc.

• Coalition Building - building and supporting community and campus relations

• Fundraising - running funding drives, grant writing, etc.

• Online Organizing - Emailing, Social media, etc.

• Public Speaking

Intern responsibilities include:

• 10-15 hours per week commitment

• Weekly Activist Class

• Weekly National Program Call

• Weekly individual/campus priorities call with organizer

• Attend 5-10 hours of team events per week - work blocks, events, additional briefings/trainings, etc.

• 2-5 hours individual work on planning, personal priorities, etc.