Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) - In-person internship in External Affairs – Washington, DC

Student Interns will engage with seasoned Washington, DC-based professionals for firsthand insight into RFE/RL’s mission as a prominent, international multimedia organization serving audiences in 27 languages and 23 countries in Europe, Eurasia, the Near East, and Central Asia. Through this experience, you will develop valuable practical skills and real-world knowledge applicable to future opportunities in external affairs. Please note this is not a reporting internship. Internships are highly competitive and unpaid; however, they offer more than just work experience – providing a sense of purpose, engaging connections to other likeminded individuals, and the chance to contribute to an exciting media legacy.

External Affairs interns assist with a variety of initiatives, including but not limited to digital communications work, communications products, event support, advocacy workshops, congressional interactions, and historical/archival recordkeeping. Interns will work alongside specialists in each of these portfolios in order to gain the widest possible perspective on some of the most intriguing work in Washington.

The Washington External Affairs internship is available to students in the Washington D.C. area who are able to come to RFE/RL’s offices at least two times per week, and seek to work in a fast-paced communications and public affairs operation. Due to the learning curve, we expect prospective candidates to be willing to devote at least 3 months (minimum) to the internship, or the equivalent of an academic semester; the period can be extended via mutual agreement. The successful applicant will be prepared to dedicate at least 20 hours per week to the internship, including remote/virtual activity that is coordinated in advance with your mentor.

You will learn:

• about the work of the External Affairs department and practical public and governmental affairs skills
• about promoting press freedom, defending endangered journalists, and shaping stakeholder opinion
• about engaging with congressional staff
• about best practices in digital mission-driven communications

Who we are ...

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is an international news organization headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic and Washington, D.C., with 21 bureaus throughout Russia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Central and Eastern Europe. Reporting in 27 languages across 23 countries, RFE/RL is one of the most comprehensive news operations in the world, providing responsibly reported, fact-based news in countries where media freedoms are under threat or banned outright.

From Iran and Pakistan to Hungary, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan, RFE/RL journalists give audiences what they can't always get from their own local media: uncensored information and open debate. Reporting via digital, TV, and radio platforms, RFE/RL has a measured weekly reach of 38.1 million people. A private nonprofit, RFE/RL is funded by the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. RFE/RL's editorial independence is protected by U.S. law.