Governmental Affairs Intern

PAID internship - STATE HOUSE COMPLEX - at up to $15/hour for up to 20 hours per week ($2,250 max /semester)

Executive Summary

INTERNSHIP / Assistant to the Director of Governmental Affairs – 3 credit hours for internship also available in some cases *   

Office of the Adjutant General / South Carolina Military Department (TAG/SCMD)

Government - Local, State & Federal industry (250 – 750 employees)

The SC Military Department/Governmental Affairs Internship program provides undergraduate, masters-level, and graduate students the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of how a strategy-driven state government office operates. This program caters to students satisfying class credit, fulfilling internship requirements, or those wishing to gain experience working in the public service, state legislative and congressional delegation arenas. The focus on the internship coincides with the 2026 legislative session at the SC State House. Only one candidate will be selected per semester.

Internship location:

1205 Pendleton St., Suite 335
State House Complex, Brown Building
Columbia, South Carolina 29201, United States

Responsibilities / Description

Responsibilities include assisting the director of governmental affairs in various areas that will positively impact agency and stakeholder goals and initiatives for the Office of the Adjutant General/SC Military Department (TAG/SCMD). (Military experience not required.) Paramount skill-sets include:

·        strength in communicating effectively in professional settings

·        talented at relationship-building in a genuine manner with all walks of people

·        ability to research many complex issues

·        ability to learn and retain information quickly and thoroughly

·        ability to read legislation at a comprehension level capable of creating effective executive summaries

·        ability to coordinate and consolidate large amounts of information

·        mature capacity to exercise discretion and work on items of confidential nature

·        adept at multi-tasking – especially when under a tight deadline

·        well-versed in social media platforms – especially Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

·        proficiency in Microsoft Office Outlook, Word & Excel

Interns will have opportunities to communicate with legislative/congressional staff members, Governor’s office staff, SC Senators, SC Representatives and/or Congress members. Pursuant to items of importance to the TAG/SCMD, interns will attend General Assembly-led committee meetings, General Assembly sessions for both the House and Senate, as well as other meetings of importance. Intern will also assist with special projects and various office and administrative tasks.

SC Military Department governmental affairs’ working hours are typically Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but are highly susceptible to fluctuations due to varying schedules of General Assembly and Congressional schedules. Flexibility to students’ curriculum schedules and their corresponding requirements will be strongly considered.

Successful candidates will be asked to dedicate between ten to twenty hours per week to the internship program. Hours are flexible and to be determined before initiation of the internship.

Professional attire and communication is required for all interns. Interns are expected to possess high levels of honesty, integrity, self-motivation, initiative and follow-through.  

APPLICATION DEADLINE:                            INTERNSHIP BEGINS (est.):

JANUARY 9, 2026                                          JANUARY 13, 2026

* ACADEMIC CREDIT NOTE:

Internship candidates interested in earning academic credit, please provide a copy of this description to the internship coordinator in your academic department who will determine if it qualifies.

How to Apply

Forward a cover letter and resume by email to: phil.hamby@scmd.sc.gov

State Application also required
www.careers.sc.gov  (search openings / filter by agency / choose “Adjutant General's Office”)
* this posting may not be readily available; continue looking back until it posts

Contact information:

Phil Hamby, Director of Governmental Affairs

Office of the Adjutant General / South Carolina Military Department

1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 335

State House Complex, Brown Building

Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Phone: 803-545-0549

* references to previous interns' experiences can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/philhamby/ under “Recommendations”