12 Days of Internships

Summer break is a long time off -- there are many classes, exams, parties, meetings, spring breaks, and many other things to do that will take most of your attention over the next several months. But there are some major payoffs to planning ahead.

Most organizations like to solidify their summer intern classes as soon as possible. And summer is the time when most students and recent grads look for internships. If you beat the rush by applying early, your chances of securing the job of your choice is greatly increased.

To help you in that process, we have assembled this page to illuminate some of the best liberty-advancing organizations that have reputations for great internship opportunities. 

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Day 1: Competitive Enterprise Institute

The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit public policy organization dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty. Our mission is to promote both freedom and fairness by making good policy good politics. We make the uncompromising case for economic freedom because we believe it is essential for entrepreneurship, innovation, and prosperity to flourish.

Policy interns are assigned to work with one or two policy analysts for the duration of their internship. Interns have the opportunity to research important policy issues and are expected to have strong writing, research, and analytical skills. Internships are also offered in our Communications, Development, Web/IT, and Operations departments. A stipend is offered to interns that are not receiving academic credit.

Summer deadline: March 1

Day 2: Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is a non-profit educational foundation devoted to defending free speech, individual liberty, religious freedom, freedom of conscience, legal equality, due process, and academic freedom on our nation's campuses. They assist students facing free speech infringements on campuses, and compile ratings of campus speech codes. Please visit www.thefire.org for more information.

FIRE's Summer Internship Program is a paid, 10-week internship for intelligent and energetic current undergraduates who are interested in FIRE's mission and work. The internship gives current undergraduates the opportunity to assist FIRE in defending civil liberties on campuses all across the country. FIRE interns help with administrative tasks, write about FIRE cases and issues, and develop strategies for protecting open discourse on their own campuses. Interns also participate in weekly seminars with FIRE staff and other prominent experts on civil liberties.  Interns will work at FIRE's downtown Philadelphia office. The 2012 internship will run from Monday, June 4 through Friday, August 10 and interns will receive a stipend of $1,100 per month.

For law students, 1Ls and 2Ls are eligible for FIRE's Legal Internship Program.

Deadline: March 15

Day 3: Reason Magazine & Reason.com

Reason is the monthly print magazine of "free minds and free markets." It covers politics, culture, and ideas through a provocative mix of news, analysis, commentary, and reviews. Reason provides a refreshing alternative to right-wing and left-wing opinion magazines by making a principled case for liberty and individual choice in all areas of human activity. Reason.com is updated daily with articles and columns on current developments in politics and culture. It also contains the full text of past issues of the print edition of Reason. Reason and Reason.com are editorially independent publications of the Reason Foundation, a national, non-profit research and educational organization.

The Burton C. Gray Memorial Internship program runs year-round in the Washington, D.C. office. Interns work for 10 weeks and receive a $5,000 stipend. The job includes reporting and writing for Reason and Reason Online, and helping with research, proofreading, and other tasks. Previous interns have gone on to work at such places as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, ABC News, and Reason itself. To apply, send your résumé, up to five writing samples (preferably published clips), and a cover letter.

Deadline: March 26

Day 4: Koch Internship Program

The Charles Koch Institute educates and trains professionals on the importance of economic freedom and how it increases well-being for the overwhelming majority of people. For more than two decades, Charles G. Koch has given professionals and students opportunities to turn their passion for economic freedom into careers through professional education programs, including the Koch Internship Program.

The Koch Internship Program is a paid opportunity to work in substantive roles at think tanks, policy institutes, and grassroots organizations in Washington, DC. Interns are placed in various roles, such as policy research, journalism, videography, and more. In addition to the work experience, interns are challenged through professional education seminars every Tuesday that include reading discussions, lectures, and workshops. Both students and recent graduates are encouraged to apply. Interns earn $10 an hour, receive Metro benefits, and may work up to 40 hours a week. 

Deadline: March 1

Day 5: Foundation for Economic Education

The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) is one of the oldest free-market organizations in the U.S., founded to study and advance the freedom philosophy. FEE's mission is to offer the most consistent case for the "first principles" of freedom: the sanctity of private property, individual liberty, the rule of law, the free market, and the moral superiority of individual choice and responsibility over coercion. For decades, however, these ideals have been ignored. To counter this trend, FEE aims to help people rediscover how essential freedom is to human existence and to demonstrate how dangerous it is to move toward any form of collectivism.

FEE is looking for passionate, dedicated, and talented college students to join our summer internship program. Each FEE intern plays an important role in helping to pursue the mission of inspiring, educating, and connecting future leaders with the principles of a free society. By assisting the programs department in executing our seven summer seminars, FEE interns will have a hands-on role in challenging students from around the world to carefully consider free market ideas and the principles of individual liberty. FEE interns assume roles in operations, photography, and videography and will gain professional experience while building relationships with students, faculty members, and scholars from the nation's leading free-market institutions. Base pay begins at $1,200 each month.

Deadline: March 1 (Applications open January 1, 2012)

Day 6: Young Americans for Liberty

The mission of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) is to train, educate, and mobilize youth activists committed to "winning on principle." Their goal is to cast the leaders of tomorrow and reclaim the policies, candidates, and direction of our government. Founded in 2008, YAL is one of the largest and fastest-growing liberty organizations on America's college campuses, with 293 chapters and 26,000 members nationwide.

YAL offers the opportunity to advance liberty. The internship program includes trainings to improve skills and talents, and it provides an atmosphere to make friends with like-minded activists. Interns post on the blog, write articles, engage in social media campaigns, organize events, and much more. Most YAL interns have gone on to work full-time for members of Congress -- including Rep. Ron Paul, Rep. Justin Amash, and Sen. Rand Paul -- and pro-liberty organizations -- including Campaign for Liberty, the Leadership Institute, and the Cato Institute. All YAL interns receive a monthly stipend of $750 and free housing (including utilities, internet, cable) at the YAL house in Arlington, VA.

Deadline: April 13

Day 7: Tax Foundation

Since 1937, the Tax Foundation has been looked to for non-partisan and principled research and analysis of tax issues at all levels of government. Best known for their annual calculation of Tax Freedom Day, they work to raise economic awareness among taxpayers, lawmakers, and media. While there are a number of Washington, D.C.-based public policy groups today that cover a broad range of policy issues, the Tax Foundation specifically provides an unparalleled, principled voice on the impact of tax and fiscal policy at the federal, state, and local levels.

The Tax Foundation internship program is designed to introduce undergraduate and graduate students to tax policy principles and teach them to apply those principles when assessing and advancing public policy. Interns work directly with staff in various areas of tax policy and gain valuable professional experience while learning about all aspects of operation. Many policy interns have an op-ed or study published by the time they leave the program. Interns are afforded flexibility to attend events, lectures, and seminars around Washington, D.C. There are three types of internships: policy (which is unpaid), communications ($10/hour), and development ($10/hour).

Deadline: rolling.  (Applications are currently being accepted for both spring and summer 2012 programs. Applications are processed on a rolling basis, and earlier applicants are given preference.)

Day 8: The Fund for American Studies

The Fund for American Studies seeks to prepare young people for leadership by teaching them the ideas of freedom and a free-market economy. TFAS organizes programs for college students who are on paths toward leadership in public policy, government, journalism, international affairs, business and the nonprofit sector.

The LIVE. LEARN. INTERN. programs held in Washington, D.C. each summer and semester include an internship placement, courses for credit from Georgetown University, career development activities, and housing in furnished on-campus apartments. These fast-paced, eight-week residential programs provide students from around the world opportunities to gain the edge in today's competitive job market and graduate school admissions, as well as experience the excitement of Washington first-hand. The summer program runs from June 10 to August 4, 2012. Questions may be directed to Recruitment and Admissions Director, Mary Stankus, at mstankus@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.

Deadline: February 7 (priority for scholarships), March 7 (final) 

Day 9: Americans for Tax Reform

Americans for Tax Reform was founded in 1985 by Grover Norquist at the request of President Reagan. ATR believes in a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax. They believe that power should be minimized. To accomplish that goal, they have created several high profile initiatives that collect pledges from elected officials to limit the reach of government into the back pockets of Americans.

Americans for Tax Reform internship program offers the chance to work alongside some of the best political advocates in Washington. As a key part of the ATR team, interns work on projects such as the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, the American Shareholders Association, the Cost of Government Day, and the International Property Rights Index. Duties include, but are not limited to, legislative and political research, drafting policy briefs, writing press releases, blogging, attending meetings, and assisting with events. Applicants should have a strong interest in tax reform and economic policy, and a fundamental orientation toward liberty. ATR accepts applications from undergraduate and graduate students of all majors. Full-time and part-time interns are paid hourly. The positions can be taken for credit through the applicant's home university or college, coinciding with spring, summer, and fall semester dates.

Deadline: March 15

Day 10: Institute for Humane Studies

The Institute for Humane Studies, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization. It is based at George Mason University and promotes the study of economic and individual freedom across a broad range of academic and professional disciplines. IHS is located in the GMU Law School building in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC, two blocks from the Virginia Square metro stop (on the Orange Line). IHS provides a flexible, professional, open office environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, and provides substantial opportunity for professional and personal growth.

IHS is looking for full-time interns for summer 2012. The 10-week internship begins on June 4, 2012 and runs through August 10, 2012 (dates are negotiable to a modest degree). Qualified candidates must possess a basic understanding of and interest in classical liberal principles, self-motivation and willingness to ask questions, a basic knowledge of Excel, attention to detail, and an ability to learn basic software quickly (such as databases or customer management systems).

Deadline: March 31 (Applications open January 1, 2012) 

Day 11: Institute for Justice

The Institute for Justice is the country's only libertarian public interest law firm. In its twenty year history, IJ has worked to preserve civil liberties and to promote the rule of law across the country and in the Supreme Court. IJ has been extremely active in many key cases, being widely cited in legal, political, and social arenas.

Clerkships and Internships are offered throughout the school year and over the summer, available to undergraduate and graduate students. Interns work on substantive legal cases and issues and become familiar with the day-to-day operations of a public interest law firm. Summer internship applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.  Applications are only accepted via www.ij.org/internships

Deadline: January 5 (suggested)

IJ hosts an acclaimed Law Student Conference at the George Washington University each summer. Students from the nation's top law schools take part in this three-day conference on shaping the world through the IJ way of public interest litigation. The annual conference covers the Institute for Justice's four litigation pillars: First Amendment rights, school choice, economic liberty, and private property rights.  This year's conference will be Friday, June 22nd to Sunday, June 24th and the application will be available in mid-January at www.ij.org/students

Deadline: March 1

Day 12: Moving Picture Institute

Founded in 2005, the Moving Picture Institute is dedicated to promoting the ideal of liberty through film, with the belief that film, more effectively than any other medium, can bring the idea of freedom to life. Their goal is to guarantee that film's unique capacity to give shape to abstract principles - to make them move and breathe - is used to support and promote liberty. Toward that end, they fund films from development through post-production, support up-and-coming filmmakers, and serve as a high-level intern placement service.

The MPI Internship Program cultivates talented young filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, directors, and others who are committed to using the aesthetic power of film to promote the core American values of freedom. MPI places interns at such well-positioned production companies as Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil, Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions, and the Disney Channel. While most interns will be based in Los Angeles, some may be matched with directors or production companies in New York, Boston, or other major metropolitan areas.

Deadline: (Spring) January 6; (Summer) TBA 

Bonus: Washington Scholars Program

The Washington Scholars Fellowship Program targets students interested in careers in public service. Fellows are placed at positions within the city, attend special events with many high profile guests, build professional and personal networks in the city, and can even earn college credit in the process. 

The semester-long fellowship program places politically minded individuals in premier internships in government agencies, media outlets, and certain non-governmental organizations. These positions offer a unique look at Washington and how the political process works from a hands-on point of view. 

Deadling: January 23

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Cato Institute

The Cato Institute is libertarian think tank that has gained a reputation over its 35 year history for principled, consistent, non-partisan policy research.  Cato's mission is to increase the understanding of public policies based on the principles of limited government, individual freedom, free markets, and peace. Internships at Cato fall within every area of a large, full-shop policy research institute, ranging from assisting scholars with research to working in government affairs, expanding new media strategies to advancing Cato's reach to the academic community.

The Cato Internship Program consists of real think tank work, not fetching coffee or being chained to a photocopier. In addition to being assigned to a particular scholar or department, interns engage in policy seminars with a wide range of Cato scholars, offering the opportunity to learn about all angles of libertarian policy work. Also, interns receive training in public speaking and writing workshops for op-eds and letters to the editor. Interns range in experience from high school students to graduates with JDs and PhDs. As part of the Cato Institute's recent Capital Campaign, the intern room has expanded to a state-of-the-art facility.  Interns are paid a monthly stipend.

This year, Cato will be selecting candidates from among the intern applicants to attend two week-long seminars on public policy and current issues, run in partnership with the Institute for Humane Studies.  The seminars will host students for a week of educational sessions, discussions, and evening socials, aimed at providing an economic, philosophical, and legal foundation for addressing public policy.  To be considered for one of these seminars, submit your application for the summer internship.

Deadline: March 1st