PPIC’s Summer Intern Program provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students interested in a public policy career to work in a policy research environment. Intern projects are proposed by PPIC researchers and designed around a specific set of tasks and deliverables that can be accomplished within the term of the internship.

Please complete your application by February 7, 2022. We expect to make the selection decisions for intern projects by mid-April. No phone calls, please.

Project 5: Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Community College Student Outcomes and Equity

Project Directors

Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Hans Johnson and Olga Rodriguez

Project Summary

Landmark legislation known as Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705) has led California Community Colleges (CCC) to make remarkable progress towards eradicating long-standing disparities in access to gateway math and English courses that have long posed barriers for groups historically underrepresented among college graduates. This study will use mixed methods to examine how the pandemic affected the implementation of AB 705. First, using student-level data from 115 colleges in the CCC, it will examine how the pandemic affected racial equity in gateway course completion, credit accrual, degree completion and transfer. Second, to unpack how gateway course curriculum, policies, and supports can help reduce racial equity gaps, we will review documents and interview officials from the colleges with the highest and lowest levels of racial equity, as measured by how well Latino, Black, Pacific Islander, and Native American students are represented in successful gateway course completions. By examining the first four-years of AB 705, we will provide insights to policymakers, administrators, and practitioners that will inform ongoing efforts to improve racial equity in the CCC. This project will be led by research fellows Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, and Hans Johnson, with research support from Cesar Perez.

The intern will provide research support for the project team, focusing on the qualitative aspects of the project.

Responsibilities

The intern will work with project leaders to:

• Review relevant academic literature and research reports
• Gather, examine, and document college efforts to reduce racial equity gaps
• Assemble information from college websites
• Identify key stakeholders
• Participate in interviews of college officials
• Present findings to PPIC staff at the end of the internship

The intern may also contribute to a related blog post. The intern will be a member of the PPIC Higher Education Center.

Qualifications

The intern for this project should possess:

• Training in economics, education, political science, public health, public policy, sociology, or demography
• Strong research and communication skills
• Ability to work independently, handle feedback well, and change direction when necessary
• Interviewing or qualitative research experience a plus

PPIC values the wide variety of backgrounds and experiences of our research staff, and key elements in the consideration of qualified candidates include excellence; diversity of talents, backgrounds, and viewpoints; and a strong fit with the institute’s mission, values, and priorities.

The Research Environment

Interns are offered the opportunity to participate in the collegial atmosphere of PPIC through daily interaction with all aspects of the institution. They are invited to join the research staff in their regular meetings and to attend PPIC’s outside events, including the institute’s public affairs programs and research briefings. PPIC offers access to the Institute of Governmental Sciences library at the University of California, Berkeley, allowing interns to work with many important databases, journals, and statistical datasets. The intern program also includes a discussion of California state policy by PPIC’s government affairs staff.

Each intern’s project will include an initial meeting with research staff, evaluation and feedback at the beginning and end of the project, and a briefing by the intern on the goals, findings, and significance of the project. Interns are encouraged to discuss their work throughout the course of the project, to meet with research staff to discuss careers in research, and to meet with communications staff to learn about outreach and building an audience of policymakers.

Location, Compensation, and Time on Project

The 2022 intern program will be conducted remotely, or via a hybrid setup if circumstances allow. Compensation is $22 per hour. This full-time internship will last up to eleven weeks, ideally beginning June 13, 2022.

To Apply

As part of completing this application, submit your cover letter highlighting the particular skills you bring to the project and describing how this internship would contribute to your career development, and attach your resume in PDF or MS Word format.

PPIC is committed to excellence through diversity. Our work is rooted in objective, data-driven policy analysis. We welcome and encourage applicants who reflect the full diversity of California. The expertise of our staff members is essential to the success of PPIC’s mission, and we assist career and personal growth through robust support of skill development at all levels of the organization. PPIC offers a collaborative, intellectually stimulating, impactful work environment with a competitive compensation and benefits package.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. AA / EEO / Veterans / Disabled employer.