Summer 2026 Undergraduate Intern, Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives- Legislative Advocacy

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate Intern in the Advocacy – South Dakota Wyoming Chapter of the ACLU’s National office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This internship is hybrid.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated undergraduate students or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship. 

The Team:

The ACLU Communications department at the North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming Chapter creates, maintains, and expands message narratives to engage our supporters and other target audiences, to help protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights, and to illustrate the value and impact of the ACLU’s transformational work. Through our messaging, engagement with newsmakers, our written, video and audio storytelling, and visual identity, we encourage support for the ACLU and help to build a more perfect union.

What You’ll Do:

Reporting to the Advocacy Manager, the Legislative Advocacy Intern position is a unique opportunity for aspiring community organizers and advocates to advance civil liberties and civil rights during the South Dakota legislative session. The successful candidate is comfortable working within communities across the state and shares a voracious dedication to the values upheld by the work of the ACLU SD. Reporting to the Advocacy Manager, the Legislative Advocacy Intern will be instrumental in growing community-driven responses and increasing engagement with South Dakota’s legislative session.

Your Day to Day

• Track the movement of priority legislation through the legislative process
• Conduct research to support the chapter’s legislative agenda
• Monitor committee hearings and floor sessions related to legislative session policy agenda
• Plan and lead community events to educate and mobilize citizen engagement
• Work with coalition partners and student groups to amplify messaging and engagement
• Participate in coalition meetings and phone calls
• Facilitate communication and meetings with stakeholders, legislators, and coalition partners 

What You’ll Bring:

• Demonstrated interest in advocacy, community organizing, and/or public policy
• Ability to prioritize work under tight deadlines
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Actively developing or currently possess a strong sense professionalism, including ability to retain confidential information and exercise discretion
• Ability to think creatively to create compelling outreach tactics
• Strong interpersonal skills including an ability to resolve conflicts in a manner that respect relationships with colleagues and community partners
• Public speaking experience preferred, but not required
• Volunteer management experience preferred, but not required
• Familiarity with the South Dakota legislative process
• Proficiency using diverse technology platforms, including but not limited to; Zoom, Microsoft Office, Outlook   

Future ACLU-ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is full-time and hybrid from our South Dakota office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: May 26th or June 8th
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below is the stipend rate:
    • $20/hr for undergraduate students or equivalent experience

Why the ACLU:

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.