Internships2020-05-11T09:16:26-04:00

Student Volunteer Service Program

The Student Volunteer Service Program provides opportunities for students who are enrolled not less than half-time in high school, undergraduate or graduate programs in accredited US educational institutions to acquire work-related educational experience and become involved in early career exploration as a basis for making realistic decisions regarding their future careers. Through the program, students are provided exposure to the work environment, which should encourage them to develop positive work ethics and to acquaint them with various functions of the IAF mission.

Positions Available

The Inter-American Foundation offers semester-long, non-paid volunteer positions. The following is a description of the offices that may have volunteer positions available for the upcoming fall, spring and summer sessions.

Office of the President and CEO

Student volunteers take on a range of writing, communications, analytical, research, and administrative tasks. Potential projects include preparing speeches, briefings, talking points, and reports for the CEO; drafting grassroots project descriptions and writing impact statements about the IAF’s work; and conducting research projects on development issue areas that the IAF addresses.

The candidate accepted for this internship will be part of the Strategic Partnerships Unit within the Executive Office team for a small, independent foreign assistance agency of the U.S. government that seeks to increase its visibility and credibility among a wide range of audiences. This person will assist with a range of writing, research, and communications activities to advance IAF partnerships with the private sector.

Potential tasks include:

  • Helping with research and data gathering for due diligences on potential partners
  • Tracking information on existing and potential partnerships
  • Supporting the development of partnership-related communications materials, including factsheets, content for the web, power points, etc.
  • Assisting in crafting fundraising and partner engagement messages for social media
  • Supporting meetings, outreach activities, and events related to donor/partner engagement

Desired Qualifications and Skills:

  • Strong writing skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to manage deadlines independently
  • Excellent language skills in English and preferably Spanish or Portuguese
  • Strong interest in international development issues
  • Knowledge of Latin America and the Caribbean

Office of Programs

Student volunteer assignments may include a variety of administrative, analytical, and research tasks, including assistance with the preparation of grant portfolio briefings, assembling and updating grant records, and conducting research for studies of special interest. Examples of special interest topics are sustainable agriculture, popular education, and rural credit.

Office of Learning and Impact

Student volunteers may assist with a variety of assignments, including research, analysis, and administrative action related to the foundation’s monitoring, knowledge management, learning and evaluation efforts.

Office of External and Government Affairs

Student volunteers may assist with producing written and visual content for the IAF website, social media and blog; outreach to the U.S. Congress; research on development policy and US-Latin America affairs; events with other external audiences; fact-checking and proof-reading materials.

The candidate accepted for this internship will be part of the External and Government Affairs team for a small, independent foreign assistance agency of the U.S. government that seeks to increase its visibility and credibility among a wide range of audiences. This person will work directly with a communications specialist to profile the way the organization and our grantees are portrayed through video/photos essays, and will be responsible in large part for the look and feel of short video pieces.

Deliverables expected from internship:

  • Edit 3 short location vignettes: using footage shot at various locations.
  • Edit 3 short interview subject vignettes from each of those sites.
  • Manage translation and subtitling of video clips.
  • Export completed videos in various sizes and upload to IAF Vimeo and Youtube.
  • Reorganize and catalog video footage for archiving.
  • Creating video pieces for innovative and socially responsible organization.
  • Editing video for a “client”
  • Working with footage shot by external sources – professional videographers as well as Inter-American staffers.
  • Learning footage cataloging and workflow best practices.
  • Working with translation and subtitles.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

    • Must be currently enrolled in university video/multimedia/filmmaking or related degree.
    • Website or online portfolio with demonstrated ability in editing video
    • Experience using Final cut pro, premiere or imovie and Live Type.
    • Knowledge of basic editing practices and terminology
    • Ability to work on both Mac and PC operating systems.
    • Superb attention to detail and must possess the ability to manage deadlines.
    • Excellent written and spoken English or Spanish.
    • An interest in international development issues.

Office of Operations

Student volunteers may assist with a variety of assignments, including research, analysis, and administrative action related to facility support, and records and property management.

Office of the General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel periodically solicits applications for legal internships from current law students.

Eligibility

Applicants must be students who are enrolled at least half time in high school, undergraduate or graduate programs of an accredited educational institution. Volunteer service is limited to services performed by the student with the permission of the institution where the student is enrolled. Generally students must be interested in or pursuing a career related to the mission of the IAF or other administrative and support offices.

Areas of interest include: Spanish or Portuguese language studies, Latin America, Caribbean, grassroots development, social-economic issues, financial management, legal research and agricultural and urban development issues.

If seeking academic credit for the internship, applicants must be available to work at least 12 hours per week in increments of at least 4 hours per day, for a total minimum of 150 hours per semester. A written agreement will be developed jointly between the school and the IAF describing the responsibilities of each organization and identifying the conditions under which students may receive academic credit for unpaid career-related experience. Please contact your campus career placement office to obtain information regarding the specific internship requirements.

All interns are required to obtain a security clearance before starting their internship.

Please contact your campus career placement office to obtain information regarding the specific internship requirements for that institution.

Salary

Students who participate in the IAF Student Volunteer Program do not receive compensation. However, in exchange for volunteer services, the Foundation provides a challenging educational experience that the student’s school may elect to accept as academic credit for course work.

How to apply

Applications are accepted year round on a rolling basis. Applicants must submit:

  1. The IAF Student Application Form.
  2. A cover letter outlining your interest for the IAF.
  3. A resume.

Please submit your application by email to Kara Rogers.

Deadlines

  • Fall Semester – August 1
  • Spring Semester – December 1
  • Summer Session – April 1

THE INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, DISABILITY, CREED, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, MARITAL STATUS, AGE, OR ANY OTHER NON-MERIT REASON.

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