2018 Leadership Interns

Think New Mexico is more than just a think tank with a solid track record of results. We are also a leadership development organization that works to train students in how to develop and enact sound public policy. Our goal is to retain a new generation of potential leaders in New Mexico by showing them how they can make a difference here in their home state.

To that end, Think New Mexico is pleased to offer four paid Leadership Internship positions each summer to college or graduate students. Interns have the opportunity to meet with Think New Mexico board members and leaders in state government, as well as to assist Think New Mexico’s staff in researching and developing policy proposals. In order to ensure that the internship is accessible to students regardless of their financial situation, interns receive the City of Santa Fe’s Living Wage, currently $14.03 per hour.

Applicants for the Leadership Internship should have good research, computer, and communications skills, an interest in public policy, and the willingness to work on a variety of different tasks – some more interesting than others – as a part of a team. Strong preference is given to applicants who have some background in New Mexico.

2016 Interns Meeting Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales

The internship program is extremely competitive, with a 4-5 students applying for each available position. Think New Mexico strives to accommodate as many qualified students as possible, so summer internships are generally about six weeks long in order to allow more students to participate.

Alumni of our Leadership Internship program are already making positive impacts on New Mexico (and the world). Of the students we have worked with since 2008, four have earned Truman Scholarships, three have received Fulbright Fellowships, and one has received a Marshall Scholarship. One former intern produced a widely acclaimed documentary on preventing child abuse and neglect in New Mexico, and two went on to work for Senator Udall’s Las Cruces district office. Four of our former interns have worked as budget and policy analysts with the Legislative Finance Committee, and one was elected to the New Mexico state Senate.

“I really have Think New Mexico to thank for taking a chance on a young woman from Artesia and offering her an opportunity to learn about policy, receive amazing mentorship, and join such an incredible network of people. The internship affirmed my passion for policy work and helped pave a way for me into public service. I can never say thank you enough.” -Tiffany Cox, 2014 Leadership Intern, Policy Specialist at the Department of Interior in the Office of the Secretary, Office of Policy Analysis

Click here to read bios of our previous Leadership Interns.

Application Instructions

Your application should include:

1. a cover letter telling us more about why you are interested in working with Think New Mexico,
2. a resume,
3. a brief writing sample, such as an essay or research paper you have written for school (~5 pages) and
4. contact information for two references.

Please email your application to kristina@thinknewmexico.org. If you prefer, you can mail it to 505 Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87505.

Deadline: applications for summer 2025 Leadership Internships must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 31, 2025.

If you would like additional information, or if you are interested in interning with Think New Mexico during the spring or fall, rather than in the summer, please contact us.