Hoover Institution Internship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide
The Hoover Institution at Stanford University offers a variety of internship opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates. These internships provide invaluable experiences in public policy research, archival work, and engagement with leading scholars. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the internship programs available, their requirements, and how to apply.
Overview of Internship Opportunities
The Hoover Institution is a prominent research center dedicated to generating policy ideas that promote economic prosperity, national security, and democratic governance. Its internship programs are designed to give students practical work experience related to their study or career interests. The institution's fellows conduct high-caliber research relevant to government leaders and other stakeholders addressing contemporary policy challenges. Many fellows, including Director Condoleezza Rice, teach undergraduate and graduate courses at Stanford University.
Several internship programs are available, each with its own focus and requirements:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives Summer Internship: This internship focuses on supporting researchers by completing circulation tasks and assisting patrons. Interns also contribute to Preservation/Conservation, Research Services, and Collections Management projects.
Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp (HISPBC): An intensive, four-day residential program designed to instruct college students and recent graduates on the economic, political, and social aspects of United States public policy.
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National Security Affairs Fellowship (NSAF) Program: This mentorship program pairs selected Stanford students with distinguished diplomats and military officers.
Hoover Institution Program on the US, China, and the World (USCW): This program offers internships focused on research related to US-China strategic competition.
Washington, D.C. Internship: The Hoover Institution's Washington, D.C. office offers internships on an as-needed basis.
Hoover Institution Library & Archives Summer Internship
The Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University seeks enthusiastic undergraduates, graduate students, or recent graduates for 10-12 week Summer Internships, with start dates typically in early to mid-June. This full-time, onsite role supports researchers by completing circulation tasks and assisting patrons, while also contributing to Preservation/Conservation, Research Services, and Collections Management projects. Training is provided to equip interns with the necessary skills and knowledge.
Responsibilities
Library & Archives Interns support increased summer research and reading room activity by completing daily circulation and reading room support. This includes retrieving and reshelving materials and helping patrons with their requests. They also participate in a variety of projects under professional direction and guidance relating to Preservation/Conservation, Research Services, Collections Digitization, Description, and Collection Management.
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Qualifications
Applicants should possess strong organizational skills, be detail-oriented, and have effective communication abilities. Preferred candidates will have experience in libraries or museums, along with non-English language proficiency. Interns gain insights into special collections and archival principles, including preservation techniques and collections management.
How to Apply
Application materials include a cover letter, resume, and references. Positions are reviewed on a rolling basis through April 7, 2025.
Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp (HISPBC)
The Hoover Institution's Summer Policy Boot Camp (HISPBC) is an intensive, four-day residential immersion program in the essentials of today's national and international United States policy. The program is intended to instruct college students and recent graduates on the economic, political, and social aspects of United States public policy.
Program Details
Designed to foster fact-based critical thinking on the most important policy issues, students will have a unique chance to interact directly with the faculty of Stanford University's Hoover Institution, comprised of world-renowned scholars in economics, government, political science, and related fields. Session topics are selected because of their immediate relevance to today's and tomorrow's challenges. Participants collaborate through class discussions and study groups that encourage diverse perspectives.
Application Information
Applications for the 2025 Summer Policy Boot Camp are now closed. The boot camp is FREE to all accepted applicants. Program fees, food, and lodging will be covered for participants accepted into the program. A $100 (non-refundable) fee is required at the time of application submission, payable through Stripe, a Stanford-approved third-party e-commerce platform. Successful participants receive a certificate of completion endorsed by Hoover Institution's director and HISPBC's faculty directors.
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National Security Affairs Fellowship (NSAF) Program
The Hoover Institution’s National Security Affairs mentorship program pairs selected Stanford students with one of eight distinguished diplomats and military officers who come to Hoover each year as part of the Robert and Marion Oster National Security Affairs Fellowship (NSAF) Program. This program offers a unique opportunity for students interested in national security affairs to learn from experienced professionals.
Hoover Institution Program on the US, China, and the World (USCW)
The USCW program distinguishes itself by engaging not just the traditional think tank and policy communities but also voices from outside, including those of business leaders, scientists, and technologists. Through cutting-edge research, briefings, public events, publications, and workshops, it will inform and educate audiences in the US and around the world on the complex challenges and opportunities that China presents, and the policies and strategies needed to advance the economic, political, and military security and competitiveness of the United States and its partners.
Responsibilities & Projects
The program seeks an intern to contribute to research on issues at the heart of US-China strategic competition. Focus areas include: analyzing supply chain resiliency in critical technologies like batteries and active pharmaceutical ingredients; tracking China’s progress in key domains of scientific research; and studying the subnational relationship between the two nations.
Qualifications
Interns with any of these qualifications would be preferred: advanced reading capability in Chinese; experience or interest in analyzing patent, trade, or market data; coding for data analysis skills, especially in pulling, cleaning, and analyzing large volumes of data using APIs; scholarly interest in China’s efforts to shape the global geostrategic, political, and economic landscape.
Specialized Skills
Coding & Programming, Foreign Language Skills
Work Environment
The intern will work closely with Glenn Tiffert (co-chair of the program) and Frances Hisgen (senior research program manager for the program). They will join a team of student RAs that usually includes Stanford undergraduates and graduate students working over the summer. The working environment is highly collaborative, with interns contributing to research problems according to their skills.
Finalist Application Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a resume (one page), statement of interest (one page), and two references by the application deadline.
Washington, D.C. Internship
While Hoover in DC doesn’t currently offer a formal internship program, their office is always accepting resumes and letters of interest to be considered for internship opportunities on an as-needed basis. Interested candidates can submit their application materials for consideration.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include assisting with operational duties, such as scheduling and prepping for meetings, building distribution lists for event information dissemination, responding to correspondence, crafting marketing materials, and assisting with general Hoover events. Interns are expected to perform other related duties as requested.
Additional Internship and Fellowship Opportunities
Beyond the Hoover Institution, Stanford University and affiliated programs offer various other summer opportunities for students:
FAST Summer Internship at Stanford: Exclusively for current FAST students, this program funds a paid summer internship at Stanford, where students work on a research project with a mentor in a real Stanford lab.
Summer Engineering Seminar at SCU: A 5-day program exposing high school students to different engineering disciplines.
MIT MITES Summer: A 6-week program where participants take five classes in math, science, and the humanities, living on campus and attending social events.
Research Science Institute (RSI): Offers high school students the chance to conduct a research project from beginning to end, including intensive STEM classes and research mentorship.
COSMOS: A 4-week residential summer school for high school students to take STEM courses beyond what is typically offered in California high schools.
Boston RISE: A 6-week residential research program with research and practicum tracks.
UCSC SIP: Gives high school students the opportunity to conduct research for 10 weeks under the mentorship of UCSC faculty, post-docs, and graduate students.
Yale Young Global Scholars: An enrichment program for high school students aspiring to become future leaders.
CSSI: Courses on computer science fundamentals, workshops on career and skill development, and familiarization with the Google community.
PROMYS: A summer program where high school students participate in math courses, seminars, and guest lectures for 6 weeks, with financial aid available.
Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP): High school students work with DoN scientists and engineers on a naval research project at a DoN lab.
STEM2SHTEM: A summer internship program for high school and early community college students interested in working on research projects in various fields.
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP): Exposes high school juniors to health science and medicine through lectures, workshops, and research projects.
Stanford Institutes of Medical Research (SIMR): An 8-week medical research program for high school students with one-on-one mentorship.
Cardiothoracic Surgical Stanford Summer Internship (CSSSI): Provides high school students exposure to cardiothoracic surgery and technical skills.
Intersession in Forensic Science at Stanford (IFSS): High school students shadow a graduate student in the Stanford Department of Chemistry and gain exposure to laboratory chemical research.
Stanford Physics Introductory Workshop for Young Women in Physics (SPINWIP): A virtual workshop designed to get high-school girls excited about physics.
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