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External Internships

Fall 2012 Washington Semester Program

The Washington Semester Program (WSP) is a semester long program for Penn undgrads interested in learning political and governmental processes by interning and taking courses in Washington, DC.

The WSP is suitable for students who have a serious interest in public policy, politics, and government.  Majors include political science, economics, humanities, and a number of others.  The program features three to four course units of study (which can include an independent research project) and a work assignment in an organization or agency related to the student's career and research interests.

The program is led by Dr. Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, Adjunct Associate Professor of Political Science and Non-resident Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution.  All living and classroom arrangements are located at the University of California Washington Center, located in downtown Washington.

Apply early during the semester to ensure your spot.

 

USAID Summer 2012 Internships in Africa and Washington, D.C.

The internship application website will open on January 16 and close on February 15.

USAID's Africa Bureau expects to have a limited number of Summer 2012 internships available in a few of our overseas missions in sub-Saharan Africa as well as in Washington, D.C. This is an excellent opportunity for outstanding students interested in pursuing careers in international development.

Off-campus internships are an excellent way to gain applied experience in a particular field. Many employers give preference to past interns when hiring for full-time positions, so they can often lead to valuable job opportunities. Internships offered outside of Penn will be added here as they are received.

Applicants should be studying relevant disciplines (public policy, economics, journalism, agricultural economics, agronomy, public administration, law, management, political science, health, etc.).

Students desiring internships in Francophone Africa must be proficient in French. Students desiring internships in Lusophone Africa must be proficient in Portuguese or Spanish. Flexibility, initiative, enthusiasm, good interpersonal skills and lots of energy are also desired. Computer skills are a necessity. Normally, the internship period is June 15-August 15, although this is negotiable. Selected students must be able to stay the duration of the internship as determined by the sponsoring mission or Washington, DC office. Final decisions on placement will be made in light of the candidate pool and USAID mission priorities at the time of candidate selection. USAID is an equal opportunity employer.

To support the USAID Africa Bureau's communication needs, all interns are encouraged to include an outreach component in their internship by taking digital photos and writing articles for their school or hometown newspapers. Alternatively, when students return to their schools, they are encouraged to seek out opportunities to present information to their school communities about their experiences in Africa and work with USAID. Students doing Washington-based internships are also encouraged to write or present something about their experience with USAID. Photos and articles will be considered for inclusion in USAID outreach efforts and websites.

 

Congressional-Executive Commission on China

Seeks paid interns for three periods of the year: fall semester (deadline July 15), spring semester (deadline December 1), and summer (deadline February 1), at a salary of $10/hour. Internships are part-time during the fall and spring semesters (15 to 20 hours/week) and full-time during the summer (32-40 hours/week). Interns will conduct research and writing projects on human rights and rule of law issues in china under the supervision of Commission staff. Interns may also assist with researching and updating records on the Commission's Political Prisoner Database. Interns may be invited or required to attend some of the many related events organized by the Commission and other organizations in Washington, D.C.

Interns should have completed at least some China-related coursework, and preferably have some background in one or more of the specific issues in the CECC legislative mandate. Interns should read Chinese well enough to assist with research in newspapers, journals, and on websites; more advanced proficiency would be a plus. Interns will often have lived or studies in mainland China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan. To better understand the work of the Commission and its areas of focus, as well as important application requirements, potential applicants should explore the CECC website. If interested, send a cover letter and resume to Judy Wright by the relevant application deadline. Please discuss in your cover letter how your professional goals, interests, and background relate to the Commission's legislative mandate regarding human rights and the rule of law in China.

 

Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan

Seeks unpaid, part- to full-time interns (12-35 hrs/week) for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Internship start/end dates and hours are customized with the academic schedule of the chosen candidate. The JICC is the cultural and public affairs section of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. Their primary role is to promote better understanding of Japan and Japanese culture by providing a wide range of information, educational services, and programs to the public, such as film screenings, art exhibitions, an online newsletter, and school programs.

Graduate students and undergraduates with at least two years of study completed are welcome to apply. Should be pursuing a major in International Studies, Japanese Studies, Asian American Studies, Public Diplomacy, Political Science, or a related field. Must be proficient to fluent in English and Japanese speaking, reading and writing. For more information, visit the JICC website or email Shanti Shoji.

 

Business Development Internship with Management Services International, Washington, DC

Management Systems International (MSI) is a global international development firm based in Washington, DC providing specialized short- and long-term technical assistance. Today, it has over 100 projects under management worldwide and its technical expertise has been expanded to include implementation of a range of analytical and field projects in democracy and governance, economic growth, organizational capacity building, education, and natural resource mangagement. At the beginning of 2008, MSI joined Coffey International, Ltd., a global multi-disciplinary professional services organization with offices in 20 countries around the world. MSI became a part of Coffey International Development (Coffey ID), one of seven divisions which comprise the Coffey group. Together, we aspire to create extraordinary outcomes for our clients, our staff, and the communities in which we work. For more information on MSI, please visit www.msiworldwide.com. For current openings for interns and full-time positions, please click here.

 

Population Services International, Washington, DC

PSI is the world's leading non-profit social marketing organization, with a mission to measurably improve the health of poor and vulnerable people in the developing would by influencing their behavior, principally through social marketing of family planning and health products and service, and health communications. PSI has programs in more than 60 countries and works in malaria, HIV, reproductive health, child survival, and tuberculosis. PSI's core values are a belief in markets and market mechanisms to contribute to sustained improvements in thelives of the poor; results and a strong focus on measurement; speed and efficiency with a prediposition to action and an aversion to bureaucracy; decentralization and empowering our staff at the local level; and a long term commitment to the people we serve. For more information, please visit www.psi.org

PSI seeks candidates for the below positions that are part-time, based in Washington, D.C., and report to the Program Manager.

Asia and Eastern Europe Intern to support program management functions in its Asia and Eastern Europe division. West and Central Africa (WCA) Department

Advocacy & Policy Intern

Please see www.psi.org/jobs for more information