General Internship Information

General Positions

WACA seeks interns for spring, summer, and fall semesters. Positions are unpaid and are open to college juniors, seniors and recent graduates with a strong interest in international affairs. The ideal candidate should possess strong computer skills, the ability to work independently as well as in a team, a good command of English, and strong writing skills. WACA seeks a commitment of at least 24 hours per week. Interns are encouraged to work longer. Exact times are flexible. College credit can be arranged.

The general internship is left general in order to allow for some flexibility in tailoring the internship to the students’s interests and strengths, as well as to the particular programmatic needs of the organization. New program opportunities pop up fairly often and in unpredictable patterns. Interns are encouraged therefore to attend a wide variety of events and make connections with many individuals and organizations; in doing so, they may well be opening a door to a new program or collaboration. We do our best to find appropriate tasks and focus areas for each intern hired so a clear sense of what the intern wants to do and is interested in is very helpful.

For Fall 2008 internships, we are looking for candidates who can begin in late August or early September. 

Benefits
Benefits include valuable international affairs and non-profit experience, going to events in Washington, hearing speakers, inevitable improvement in computer and writing skills and the opportunity to be very involved in the running of a non-profit organization.

The WACA office has a very collegial inclusive style of operation. Interns frequently get out of the office and they do not get loaded down with clerical work. All WACA staff members have considerable international experience. 

Projects
While WACA does have many tasks that interns need to accomplish in order to effectively run our programs, interns who distinguish themselves and show initiative have the potential of taking the lead on projects in which they are interested.

Duties and activities encompass, but are not limited to, the following:

-finding potential speakers for the council system
-working on special projects as needed
-helping update the speakers database
-assisting with preparation for national board meetings
-helping to plan and organize the national conference
-performing research projects
-helping to prepare Operations Papers for the council system
-attending embassy receptions
-visiting key institutions in Washington

Application
Applications are accepted year-round. Please e-mail, fax, or mail a cover letter with dates of availability, a one-page resume, and a one–page writing sample to Internship Coordinator at waca@worldaffairscouncils.org.

No calls please.  Due to the volume of applications, we will only contact candidates who have been selected for an interview will be notified.