One incredible program for students is PolitiCorps http://www.busproject.org/programs/politicorps, run through the Oregon Bus Project--the most innovative thing to hit politics in years (ok, I'm biased, but a lot of people around the country agree with me)
Last year we had 22 top-notch students from around the country (Northwestern, Pamona, Whitman, University of Oregon, Columbia, among others). They receive instruction from folks like former Governors John Kitzhaber (founder of the Oregon Health Plan) and Barbara Roberts, pollster Lisa Grove, and activist Barbara Dudley (former head of Green Peace). Click here and scroll down to see a list of classes from the inaugural 2005 PolitiCorps class.
The students then choose to work in either 501-C3 voter registration with one of the best voter registration programs in the country, building votes ( www.buildingvotes.org), or they work to help elect candidates to the state legislature through the Bus Project political action committee (BusPAC) http://www.busproject.org/events/bustrips.
The program is non-partisan but surely has a "progressive" slant. However, instructors are from both parties as are the supporters of the organization.
Deadline for registration to this program in February 2nd (there is a rolling admission past that date, for students who are interested). I'd be happy to talk with any students about it. Its a great springboard if you are interested in doing politics, particularly in Oregon but I think anywhere in the U.S. One interesting thing is the connection between the Bus Project and unlikely suspects, such as the statewide business organization I work for. My two predecessors were both involved with the Bus Project. Its a funny Oregon thing---a culture of collaboration that seems to defy odds and cross party lines. The only place it doesn't seem to exist is in the legislature itself (too bad for the people of Oregon!), where I think it is more of an urban/rural issue than a Republican/Democrat one.
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