2026 Turner Scholar Intern Program

Published on April 14, 2026

Applications are open for the 2026 Bob Turner Scholar Intern Program, a partnership between the City of Salinas and the International City/County Management Association. Current Juniors and graduating Seniors that attend a high school in Salinas are can apply. The internship is an 8-week program with a time commitment of an average of 15 hours per week. 

For the 2026 program, we have opportunities for:

• 3 High School (current Juniors or Graduating Seniors) for a communications & community engagement internship
• 1 College Undergrad Student for an Economic Development internship

Deadline to apply is April 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Each intern will receive:

• A $2,500 stipend upon completion of the internship
• Complimentary ICMA membership for two years
• If the intern is 18 years of age by the time of the conference, they will receive complimentary registration to the ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach (October 17 - 21, 2026)
• Complimentary subscription to PM Magazine
• A tailored cohort experience including biweekly cohort calls with the other Bob Tuner Interns from across the country
• Access to ICMA’s Local Government 101 online certificate program

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be a current high school Junior or Senior in Salinas OR college undergrad student with a connection to Salinas (living in Salinas or from Salinas but attending a college in another City).
• Be available in-person an average of 15 hours for week for 8 weeks, between June 8, 2026 - July 31, 2026. Accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis for things like pre-scheduled time off and emergencies, but when making up hours, the intern cannot work more than 25 hours in a single week and must have a total of 120 hours completed by July 31, 2026, to have successfully completed the program. 
• Be available for a final in-person presentation to the Salinas City Council (tentatively scheduled for August 4, 2026, at 5PM) and a virtual presentation to ICMA (tentatively scheduled for late July).
• Work collaboratively with the Community Relations team, City staff, and stakeholders and conduct themselves in a professional manner as a representative of the City. 
• If selected, interns must complete a Live Scan background check at City Hall, at no cost to the intern.