SFU Center for the Study of Government & Law
Annual Summer Internship Opportunity
Washington, D.C. & Harrisburg
E.G. “Bud” Shuster Memorial Scholarship and Government Internship Program
Want to spend your summer working in government — and get paid for it? This opportunity offers exclusive internships with stipends up to $5,000.”
The E.G. “Bud” Shuster Memorial Scholarship and Government Internship Program is intended to support summer internships in the U.S. Congress or the Pennsylvania General Assembly for deserving Saint Francis University students. The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to experience the inner workings of an elected official’s office and learn how a legislative body operates as an institution.
- One six-week internship in a Congressional office in Washington, D.C. The internship includes a $5,000 stipend to defray housing and other living expenses.
- One six-week internship with a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly representing Bedford County. The internship includes a $2,500 stipend to defray housing and other living expenses.
- One six-week internship with a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly representing Blair County. The internship includes a $2,500 stipend to defray housing and other living expenses.
There is some flexibility in scheduling, but the internship must be completed prior to July 31.
Who is Eligible
- Open to SFU students of ANY major (preference for Pennsylvania residents)
- Must identify as Republican or conservative and show a commitment to public service.
Application Procedure
To apply for this opportunity, please submit the following:
- completed the application (download below or pick up a paper packet available in Office of President or Department of History and Political Science)
- cover letter
- resume
- copy of your current transcript
- minimum 250-word essay describing your reasons for wanting to pursue this internship
Please forward your application materials to:
The Office of the President
Scotus 301
Or
Dr. Joseph Melusky
director Center for the Study of Government and Law/ Department of History and Political Science
Scotus 316B Application
Deadline: First Friday in February
Criteria for Awarding the Scholarship
The selection process is competitive. A committee will evaluate applications before interviewing candidates during the spring semester. The successful candidate will have a strong academic background, good communication and research skills, and a genuine interest in the legislative processes and serving the public. Personal integrity and discretion in dealing with confidential and/or sensitive legislative matters are required. Applicants must thrive on organization, have keen attention to detail, be relentlessly adaptable, and be able to deliver on multiple, simultaneous deadlines.
Up to three internship opportunities are awarded annually by the committee.
About E.G. “Bud” Shuster (1932-2023)
E.G. “Bud” Shuster served in the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District from 1973 to 2001. A native of Glassport, PA, he entered politics in 1972, defeated a state senator in the Republican primary for Congress and was elected the following November. His election was described by Time Magazine as "An unabashed tribute to American achievement…whose remarkable journey to the U. S. Congress is the stuff of the dream."
Shuster was elected to fifteen terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, winning both the republican and democratic nominations nine times, a feat never accomplished in Pennsylvania history. He served as chairman of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, the largest committee in the history of Congress from the 104th through the 106th Congress from 1995 to 2001. He was the principal author of much of America’s transportation and economic development legislation during his tenure, including TEA-21 and AIR-21, historic legislation that unlocked the federal transportation trust funds to improve America’s transportation systems. He also oversaw the 1997 Amtrak reform bill, the 1999 law creating the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and several water resources laws, including The Everglades Restoration Project, the largest environmental restoration project in history.
Although known more widely for his transportation accomplishments, Shuster also served as the Ranking and senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which meant that he was one of the eight Members of Congress who was “read in” by the CIA on major covert actions and programs during that time. He authored legislation to strengthen U.S. intelligence capabilities, including a then-classified operation that was instrumental in bringing down Columbian drug lords and knocking out Iraq’s command and control systems during the First Gulf War.
Shuster was a prolific writer who authored more than 50 articles on transportation, economic development and national security, and five books, including the award-winning Believing in America. Shuster received over 130 awards for his congressional service, including a special award from the Central Intelligence Agency for his contribution to national security.
Shuster retired from public service in February 2001 and became President of Strategic Advisors, serving as a consultant to several companies and associations ranging from California to London. He served for many years as a Trustee of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the University of Pittsburgh, and Saint Francis University where he also was an Adjunct Professor and Chapter Advisor to Sigma Chi fraternity. He received Sigma Chi's highest honor, the "Order of Constantine."
The Saint Francis University Library Margaret M. Tobin Center for Archives and Special Collections is also home to The Bud Shuster Congressional Records, a collection of 197 boxes of archival materials from 1946-2001. The collection consists of manuscripts, video and audio recordings, photographs, newspaper clippings, artifacts, and memorabilia primarily associated with his term in office from 1973-2001. Access the Shuster Archives Special Collection.
Of all his accomplishments, what Bud cherished most was his loving family and their time spent together at the family’s farm in Everett, PA.