AAPC Foundation Summer Internship at The Lukens Company

AAPC Foundation Summer Internship at The Lukens Company

The AAPC Foundation Summer Internship Program offers students a full-time, paid, nine-week applied learning experience with a designated AAPC member firm. Interns gain practical skills, professional networks, and insight into how campaigns, data, and technology shape civic engagement—preparing them to become the next generation of leaders in the field.

The Lukens Company (Political Department) is a full-service direct response marketing agency specializing in custom voter contact, fundraising, and issue advocacy programs for Republican candidates, committees, and causes. Rooted in data, our team of experts works tirelessly to provide highly targeted and creative communications that drive results. We’ve raised historic amounts of critical revenue and executed award-winning campaign strategies for some of the nation’s largest and most high-profile political brands, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, John Thune, and Steve Scalise, as well as national organizations such as RAGA, NRCC, and NRSC.

At TLC, interns are treated as full members of the team and work directly on client projects across a variety of campaigns. This internship offers hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of direct response marketing during a busy election year, with exposure to candidates at all levels. Beyond technical campaign skills, interns will also strengthen transferable abilities such as time management, workload prioritization, and creative problem-solving. By the end of the internship, candidates will have contributed to multiple real client projects and built a strong foundation in political direct response marketing.

Responsibilities include:
Interns will gain practical experience in both traditional and digital campaign strategies, including:

• Fundraising mail: Understanding why packages are designed the way they are and how to optimize them.
• Voter persuasion & contact mail: Learning to read polls, translate insights into messaging, and craft effective mail plans.
• Get-out-the-vote mail: Developing targeted messages and techniques for different constituent groups.
• Digital advertising: Placing ads across social media platforms, designing creative content, and selecting audiences.
• Audience targeting: Exploring how fundraising and voter contact audiences overlap (or don’t) with digital strategies.

This position is ideal for:
Candidates with a blend of technical proficiency, professional skills, and a values-driven mindset. Key qualifications and skills include:

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word for data management, presentations, and document preparation. Experience with other tools or platforms relevant to marketing, fundraising, or project management is a plus.
• Professional Qualities: Reliable self-starter able to manage multiple projects independently while adapting to shifting priorities. Comfortable in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with quick turnarounds. Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail to ensure high-quality deliverables. Strong written and verbal communication skills, paired with a problem-solving mindset. A willingness to learn, grow, and take on challenges with curiosity and resilience.
• Cultural Alignment: Interest in working for a values-driven company committed to making a positive impact. Enthusiasm for collaboration and a team-oriented approach to achieving goals.

Learn more about The Lukens Company here: https://tlcpolitical.com/