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Policy and Communications Internship

Tennessee Department of Agriculture
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Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Policy and Communications Internship

 

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Administrative Division, is seeking an intern for the summer of 2026 (May 18, 2026 – August 14, 2026). The chosen candidate will work closely with our Communications as well as our Policy & Legislation Teams to assist with a wide range of projects and assignments relating to policy development, legislation, communications, outreach, and administrative support for departmental activates and events.

 

Location: 

   Ellington Agricultural Center

   Moss Administration Building

   440 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN 37220

 

Major Duties:

Policy and Legislation:

  • Provide support to the policy team and other Executive Staff to include legislative issues, strategic planning, policy review, and information request.
  • Conduct research, collect relevant information, enter data, complete analyses, and report on issues or topics as assigned.
  • Participate in training sessions, conferences and meetings at the state and national level to remain current on trends and best practices in the agriculture industry.

 

Communications and Outreach:

  • Assist the public affairs team with communication and outreach projects, such as collateral development, video production, and social media engagement.
  • Assist with updating databases related to external outreach and engagement.
  • Work with Tennessee Department of Agriculture staff to set up, work, and tear down for events and tradeshows.

 

Administrative Duties:

  • Attend or listen to legislative committee hearings and provide information or summaries as requested by the Policy team.
  • Assist in the planning and staffing of special events and meetings with the Public Affairs team.
  • Prepare talking points, legislative memos, and correspondence to the Tennessee General Assembly.

Other duties may be assigned as needed.

 

Education Requirements:

  • Applicants must possess a high school diploma and currently seeking a degree in agriculture, communications, public relations, political science, or other related field.
  • Recent college graduates, master’s students, and doctoral students may apply.
  • Applicants must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. 

 

Essential Knowledge and Required Skills: 

  • Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Applicants must be able to plan and execute projects with limited supervision or instruction.
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Office.
  • General knowledge and understanding of agriculture and forestry systems is preferred.

 

Comments: 

  • This is a paid internship.
  • Some travel may be required.
  • All participants in the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Internship program are required to present details of their internship experience to executive staff. This presentation will be given to executive leadership during a luncheon at the end of the internship term.

For more information on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture please visit https://www.tn.gov/agriculture.html

 

Working Conditions: 

  • This internship is primarily office-based with the possibility of some travel along with the opportunity to work remotely at times.

 

How to Apply:

To apply for this internship opportunity, please send the following documents to Jamye.Freeman@tn.gov:

  • Resume
  • Letter of intent
  • Most recent transcript
  • Two professional letters of recommendation
  • DD214 (veteran candidates only)

 

PLEASE NOTE: Once your application has been received, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please reach out to Jamye.Freeman@tn.gov.

 

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2025.

 

Other Information:

The State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Pursuant to the State of Tennessee’s Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy. The State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State’s policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person’s race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veterans status, or any other category protected by state of and/or federal civil rights laws.