View our past Webinars

Hear from a couple of our interns regarding their experiences in the program:

  • Brianna Klein, Chronic Disease Intern, Illinois Department of Public Health  – Dual Master’s of Public Health & Public Administration
  • Angie Quiroga Torres, Source Water Protection Intern, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Master’s of Environmental Studies)
Joe McCoy receiving the 2021 Sagarika Madala Award
Joe McCoy
Rebekah Piatt selfie
Rebekah Piatt

In 2021, GPSI celebrated our outstanding interns and supervisors virtually. The GPSI office received and reviewed numerous nomination forms for the Sagarika Madala Award for Exemplary Leadership and the Brian T. Milbrandt Memorial Award for Academic and Professional Excellence. Congratulations and thank you to all of our award nominees and our two winners! View this year’s program.

Joe McCoy, Illinois State Association of Counties, 2021 Sagarika Madala Award Winner (left)

Rebekah Piatt, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Accountancy, 2021 Brian T. Milbrandt Memorial Award Winner (right)

If you are interested in a public sector internship experience while earning a master’s degree from the University of Illinois Springfield, then you need to look no further than the Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI) at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Located within the Center for State Policy and Leadership, GPSI is ranked as one of Illinois’ premier governmental internship programs. For over 45 years this program has provided top-flight graduate students with a high quality graduate education, real world experience, and lifelong networking connections.

Regardless of your academic background, you are eligible to apply. After completing their program requirements, many interns begin professional careers in the public sector at the federal, state or local levels; as well as in the private sector.

If you are looking for an exciting, challenging graduate education, please consider the GPSI program and one of 20 master’s degrees offered at the University of Illinois Springfield.

View last year’s winners too:


Megan Cox and John Baranzelli

Megan Cox, a GPSI intern with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, was honored as the recipient of the 2019 Brian T. Milbrandt Memorial Intern Award for Excellence. The award was presented at the GPSI annual recognition breakfast held on April 3, 2019. Megan is shown on the left with John Baranzelli, her internship supervisor.