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Quick Facts

  • Stipend: contingent upon the hours per week and the duration of weeks
  • Duration: based on applicant’s school semester (typically 12 - 14 weeks)
  • We partner with colleges and universities to ensure and accommodate that semester interns receive course credit for their time with us. If you have any questions on how to receive course credit for The Acton Institute Semester Internship, please email [email protected].
  • If you have questions regarding The Acton Institute Semester Internship, please visit our FAQ page or email [email protected].

Description

Through the Acton Institute Semester Internship, we strive to provide students with tangible experiences that serves as a resume builder and helps launch their career. Acton Interns have the opportunity to hone their skillsets while working with our talented team to promote Acton Institute’s mission of advancing a free and virtuous society.

Unlike our Emerging Leaders Program, Semester Interns work exclusively hands on; this allows them to gain experience and exposure, ultimately equipping them for their future career, while also serving them in their discernment of what that future career might be. Semester Interns fill a need that we have in one or more of our departments; their duties mainly include day to day support and think tank projects.

As part of the Semester Internship, interns have the opportunity to meet and work with Human Resources who will assist with preparing their resume and furthering their professional development. Additionally, Semester Interns are welcomed and encouraged to attend Acton Institute’s ongoing lecture series.

Description of Departments Offered to Semester Interns

Administration

Interns will work closely with our head of Administration, to assist with day-to day needs and projects in the Administration department, as well as assisting with general office and staff administration. The day-to-day needs and projects include, but are not limited to: hospitality and guest services, scheduling and assisting with staff engagement sessions, planning and coordinating staff events such as Acton’s annual summer kick ball match, providing technical support, and overseeing that the building, reception area, and meeting rooms are operational and in showroom condition.

Qualifications:

  • Professional decorum, good judgment, and a respectful and positive demeanor
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to meet hard deadlines
  • Maintain confidentiality and discretion with sensitive information
  • Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and comfortable with using additional software programs

Communications/Marketing

Over 2 million people interact with Acton Institute’s digital media platforms each year. This includes the Acton PowerBlog, Longform Essays, Transatlantic Journal, Religion & Liberty, and other online publications. Acton also boasts a following of more than 1 million people across all social media channels. As a Semester Intern in our Communications department, you will have the opportunity to engage this broad audience of global influencers on a daily basis through the publication of blog posts, editing, social media interactions, and more. Acton’s talented team of communication professionals will work with you on a daily basis to develop and hone your written and verbal communication skills.

Qualifications

  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
  • Prior experience writing for publication is preferred 
  • Ability to edit for publication
  • Attention to deadline and desire to work under tight deadlines
  • Dedicated interest in media, public relations, and marketing
  • Experience with front end/back-end web development is a plus

Development/Fundraising

Every non-profit organization has a development team that tirelessly works to inform investors and potential investors of the impact that an organization is achieving. At Acton Institute, we view our development team as the “fuel that keeps the engine running.” Without a strong team of fundraisers committed to advancing the mission, Acton Institute would not exist. We want you to join our talented team of experienced development staff through our Semester Internship. Through this role, you will be equipped with the skills and technical know-how that will allow you to pursue a professional development career in nearly any non-profit organization that you desire. You will not only gain a better understanding of how to effectively articulate an organization’s mission to outside stakeholders, but also learn the technical side of the development profession.

Qualifications

  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
  • Desire to pursue a professional career in the non-profit industry
  • Experience using Constituent Relationship Management databases is preferred 
  • Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
  • A strong grasp of Acton’s mission and core principles

Executive

Rev. Robert Sirico (President Emeritus) and Kris Mauren (President) founded Acton Institute over 30 years ago in order to advance the moral case for free enterprise. Since that time, Acton Institute has grown to 45+ staff with a global reach. As a Semester Intern in Acton’s executive department, you will have the opportunity to work with the executive team on research, writing, outreach, and some database projects. In this role, you will be able to complete a series of substantive work projects while learning from globally recognized think tank executives. Specifically, you will steward an ongoing business leader project to completion, produce long and short briefs for Acton leadership, collaborate with other departments internally to advance key projects, and much more.

Qualifications

  • Demonstrate a desire and ability to promote a free and virtuous society
  • Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning
  • Excellent relationship building skills and desire to work with others
  • High level of responsiveness and urgency
  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills

Research/Library Services

Provide general support for our Research department assisting on grants & awards, research publications, conferences, library services and general research projects. Acton Institute’s research department boasts a team of world renowned scholars that are frequently published in industry leading journals, magazines, and digital outlets. Acton’s research team speaks at hundreds of events around the globe as well as publishing up to 20 books each year. As an intern in Research you will have the chance to hone your research abilities while adding academic experience to your CV. Interns assisting Research & Library Services would ideally have experience researching, writing, and copy editing. Academic research interests of their own are also highly encouraged with opportunities for independent research projects leading to academic publication. Experience with non-English languages a plus.

Qualifications:

  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with editing academic writing
  • Ability to consolidate complex information in concise and easy to understand ways
  • Prior experience writing for publication--either in school newspaper or elsewhere is a plus
  • Desire to complete (or currently completing) a graduate degree in a topic/field related to Acton’s mission is a plus

Media

As a Semester Intern in our Media department, through various communication and media products and platforms, you will assist in all aspects of production, including podcasts, videography, photography, and live event production, to further the reach of Acton’s mission to a worldwide audience. Projects will include working on our media archives in the CatDV system, producing edited content, assisting with audio and video recording at Acton events, and assisting with photography and film shoots. Training will be provided.

  • A professional and positive attitude
  • Willingness to learn and advance the mission of the Acton Institute through our media department
  • Background in videography, photography, and editing is a plus
  • Experience in working with Final Cut Pro, as well as other editing software programs is a plus

Application Requirements

Applicants applying to The Acton Institute Semester Internship are required to submit the following:

  1. Cover letter
  2. Resume
  3. Short writing sample reflecting your perspective on The Acton Institute’s mission
  4. Letter of recommendation (from either a current or past college professor)
  5. Online application
  • Submit your cover letter, resume, and short writing sample via email to [email protected] . The Subject line should read: “Semester Internship application-- your first and last name”.
  • The letter of recommendation may be sent to [email protected] either from the professor directly or from the applicant.