Internships that Work
The Whitehead School works with students to tailor internship experiences to individual interests and career goals.
Students from around the world choose the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations for its distinguished academic curriculum and its outstanding career network. The Office of Internships and Career Development at the Whitehead School works with students to strategically align academic and real-world experience with career goals.
Summer Internship Success Stories »
Learning to Lead
By graduation, all of the Whitehead School's undergraduate and graduate students experience at least one professional internship in diplomacy or international relations. Our proximity to New York and our relationships with the United Nations and the U.N. community, businesses, and NGO's offer unparalleled opportunities for professional development.
Students are encouraged to explore internships globally during the summer months to gain valuable experience in federal government, public policy institutes, international development and humanitarian aid, human rights, and private enterprise. Scholarship funds are available for international internships, and were awarded this past summer to support internship expenses in the Philippines, Bhutan, and Honduras.
“The impact of increasing global insecurity due to factors such as climate change, poor access to food and shelter in the developing world, and political unrest --just to name a few areas --requires a broad set of skills that I am honing as a student,” observes Anca DiGiacomo (MA'10). “My internship at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs allows me to use my knowledge about these issues, as well as to expand my comprehension of international relations, as it relates to real situations in real time.”
Recent graduate Grace Chung (B.S.'10) interned at the foreign desk of McClatchy newspapers in Washington, D.C. “Where else could an undergraduate get a press pass, the chance to regularly attend congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, and the opportunity to write stories about controversial issues like the release of Guantanamo detainees?” Grace asks. Search Grace Chung's articles.
The Office of Internships and Career Development at the Whitehead School works with students to tailor the internship experience to address individual interests and career development goals. Among the varied international businesses, government agencies, and organizations that have recently employed Whitehead School graduate and undergraduate interns are:
- ABC News
- American Red Cross
- Amnesty International
- Caritas Internationalis
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Clinton Foundation
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Defense Intelligence Agency
- East West Institute
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Human Rights Watch
- International Criminal Court
- International Rescue Committee
- Organization of American States
- Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
- Permanent Mission of the Republic of India to the United Nations
- United Nations Development Programme
- United Nations Secretariat
- UNICEF
- United States Congress
- U.S. Agency for International Development
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Department of Justice/Interpol
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Secret Service
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Your Path for Professional Development
Employers prize Whitehead graduates for their distinctive exposure gained on and off-campus. Graduates acquire the skill sets to effectively communicate, analyze, negotiate and collaborate in a setting that emphasizes leadership and a commitment to peace and justice. Academic advisors, faculty, and the Office of Internships and Career Development work with students at the start of the academic experience to give direction to career goals. In addition to offering private and individualized professional counseling, the Whitehead School's Office of Internships and Career Development offers a wide range of services, including:
- Career development workshops
- Preparation workshops for the Foreign Service Officer Test and Presidential Management Fellowship program
- Fellowship opportunities and application processes
- Employer information sessions
- Alumni networking receptions
- Resume and cover letter critique
- Job-search strategies
- Unlimited access to jobs, live webinars, career advice, and networking through Devex Individual Professional Membership.
