Council Internships: Working for your future

World Affairs Council interns are celebrated for their hard work. In return for that dedication and energy, our interns see the world on a personal basis: names in the news become people they’ve met; overseas news stories evolve into local missions of understanding.

Many of our traditionally unpaid interns have gone on to careers in the public and private sectors and use their Council experience to deal with international and national projects. The Council seeks sharp college or graduate level talented, passionate, and energetic individuals to help us accomplish our daily missions. (Our intern program may translate into college credit – consult your academic advisor.)

Eligibility

The World Affairs Council accepts a limited number of interns at its downtown Dallas office each semester.

• Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two–four year institution)
• Recent graduates from an undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university no more than six (6) months before the first day of the internship

Qualifications

• Strong desire to work and learn in an international environment
• Ability to write formal documents including letters and reports
• Experience with databases or data entry
• Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate professionally in a multicultural setting
• Reliability and flexibility

Commitment

Interns are required to commit a minimum of 15 hours a week; hours are flexible depending on students’ schedules and the needs of the office. Attendance is also mandatory for the intern orientation (held on the first day of each session) and at least three speaker programs.

WACDFW staff works a hybrid schedule and will accommodate interns’ schedules to reflect working days in office.

Internships are unpaid; however, we provide parking validation or DART stipend, free attendance to Council speaker programs, and a variety of professional development workshops.

Departmental Intern Positions

Available during Fall, Spring, and Summer terms:

Education Intern (Global Young Leaders Program)

The Global Young Leaders Program educates North Texas students and teachers on how international events affect their lives, their communities, and their country. Responsibilities include preparing and updating information packages for workshops and leadership trainings, updating our database, and attending education events when possible.

International Visitor Programs Interns

The International Visitor Program coordinates U.S. State Department-sponsored visits of groups of emerging leaders from around the world. The intern will assist with all programmatic aspects of the International Visitor Programs department, including drafting proposals for upcoming projects, maintaining a list of current Dallas/Fort Worth area resources, and communicating with volunteers for incoming delegations.

Marketing & Communications Interns

The Communications internship is a great opportunity for applicants that enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and want to enhance their communications skills. This role is primarily research and writing focused, but will also provide creative ideas and strategy to help achieve goals. Interns help in all areas of marketing for the Council’s programming including creating social media content, designing graphics for web, researching speakers, and writing promotional copy for speaker events.

Membership & Development Interns

The Membership & Development require interns who have excellent writing skills, experience with customer service, and an ability to work in databases and with other detail-oriented tasks. Daily responsibilities include maintaining and updating membership records in the Council’s database, writing and editing member correspondence, providing information to current and potential members, researching prospective funding sources, assisting with gift acknowledgment process, and attending Council speaker programs.

Programs Interns

The Programs department gives interns the opportunity to develop writing, research, and organizational skills through a variety of assigned projects. Interns are asked to research and compose bios for incoming speakers, craft remarks, research materials, and assist with all administrative tasks associated with program planning and execution. Interns will also be exposed to different aspects of managing a nonprofit organization, including program fundraising, board relations, and membership development.