Eva Clayton Fellowship Program

The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is proud to offer the Eva Clayton Fellowship, an opportunity for deserving college students to learn the intricacies of North Carolina Democratic politics. As the first African-American woman to represent North Carolina in Congress, Eva Clayton’s life and work continues to inspire North Carolina Democrats. The NCDP is continuing her work by training the next generation of Democratic leaders.

Interested students should read the description below and then submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@ncdp.org.

Eva Clayton Fellows will be trained by North Carolina Democratic Party staff and have the opportunity to work and network with Democratic officials from across the state. The Fellowship program offers positions in the departments of Communications, Data, Political, Digital, Finance, and Voter Registration. In addition to the work in the respective departments, Fellows will learn about the work of the NCDP as a whole, including how we work to elect and support Democrats in North Carolina, how we empower volunteers and local leaders, and more. Fellows will also participate in trainings hosted by the NCDP. Resume and professional skill-building workshops will be offered to help students get their next job, and find their niche in the exciting world of NC politics. College students who are hardworking, attentive to detail, and passionate about advancing Democratic values are encouraged to apply. Interested students should submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@ncdp.org. In their cover letter, candidates should discuss why they are interested in working with the NCDP and which three departments listed below they’d most like to work with. Applicants should also provide a rough estimate of the schedule they can work at NCDP Headquarters (ex: Tues. and Thurs. 1:00-3:00PM, Mon. and Wed. from 10:00AM-1:00PM, etc.). Fellows are expected to work 15 hours per week. Qualified candidates will be contacted by the NCDP to schedule an interview. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until positions are filled, so the earlier you apply the better! This position provides a monthly stipend for the duration of the academic semester. Depending on the school, this position may also satisfy college credit or community service requirements.


Descriptions of NCDP Departments

Finance: Finance is the engine that makes the NCDP run! Through mail, digital, events, and by other means, the Finance team raises the funds necessary to operate the NCDP and elect Democrats across the state. As an Eva Clayton Finance Fellow, students will learn about all of the ways we fundraise effectively – from consistent donor relations to detailed event planning and management. You’ll work closely with other departments to brainstorm new ways to raise money, as well as polishing the ways we already fundraise. Fellows will also work with the Executive Director, Finance Director, and Director of Party Operations to plan successful events that energize donors and work toward accomplishing all of our goals in 2020. Two positions in the Finance Department are available, one with the NCDP and one with the NCDP’s sister organization, the NCDP House Caucus. Digital: Digital Organizing is one of the best tools we have to get people civically and politically engaged. As a Digital Fellow, you’ll gain experience using cutting-edge tools and graphic design to mobilize folks to action. The Digital Director will train you one-on-one and tailor the fellowship to your interests (graphic design, writing, digital organizing, etc.). Ideal candidates will have experience working in marketing, public relations, journalism, political science or graphic design. Here are some of the things you can expect to do:

  • Learn how to independently run and manage our events thread so folks from Murphy to Manteo can connect with fellow Democrats
  • Assist NCDP county parties and auxiliaries with their digital/design needs and help them get the support they need for all their work on-the-ground
  • Use WordPress and coding to update the NCDP website so it remains a resource for voters across the state
  • Help build up our volunteer base ahead of the 2020 election. This may involve design work, social post and blog writing, candidate research, etc.
  • Assist the digital director with media monitoring, data entry, and other projects that may arise 

Political/Party Affairs: The Political/Party Affairs department organizes and problem-solves with our most important asset – NCDP volunteers. These folks are the on-the-ground Democratic leaders in their communities, they are county chairs, auxiliary presidents, district chairs, etc., and they are spread out across the entire state. If you want to know how the politics works from the grassroots, this is the department for you. It is hard work – answering constituent phone calls, responding to concerns from Democrats all over the state, helping other departments as they work with our community leaders – but working in Political/Party Affairs gives Fellows real insight into the NCDP and how it functions in communities across the state. Communications: The NC Democratic Party is hiring a Communications Fellow with superior writing skills, attention to detail, and organizational ability. This position is primarily writing-based. Ideal candidates will have completed coursework in journalism, communications, or political science and will be self-starters, work well in a team, and have a desire to learn about the political process. Candidates will gain experience in strategic political communications for a statewide political organization. Main responsibilities include:

  • Drafting various communications including press releases, statements, and talking points
  • Drafting letters and other correspondence
  • Updating internal databases of press releases and talking points
  • Maintaining press lists

Data: The Data Department’s Eva Clayton fellow will do so much more than crunching numbers. As a data Eva Clayton fellow, you will help create the organizational structure for our voter database system, provide support and troubleshoot errors within the system, create training materials for county parties, and be integral in brainstorming how we strengthen the department going into 2020. More importantly, this internship will be an opportunity for you to learn new skills that interest you like Votebuilder, SQL, Tableau, modeling, and other data analysis techniques. All that’s required is a passion for learning new things, a mind for organization and a welcoming customer service personality. Voter Registration: The NCDP is hard at work, making sure that every eligible North Carolinian is registered and energized to vote in 2020 — and we need your help! As an Eva Clayton Fellow in the Voter Registration Department, you’ll be 1) on-the-ground collecting voter registration forms, 2) train our powerful network of volunteers and democratic activists to get out there and expand the electorate, 3) recruit students and volunteers to be ambassadors to their local communities. We are going to work together to run the program that generates excitement, knowledge, presence, and votes in 2020. Ideal candidates are welcoming and passionate about the upcoming elections.  Experience using VAN is a plus.

Learn more and apply here!