Communications Fall 2026 Internship at Foundation for Defense of Democracies

University of Delaware; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 12,276 - 18,972; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stipend

Speaker series

Academic credit possible

Career support

Job summary

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) in Washington, DC, offers internship opportunities through its Communications Department. Interns work with foreign policy, journalism, public relations, social and digital media, and marketing, gaining real‑world experience in a fast‑paced media environment.

All interns receive a stipend, may earn academic credit, and participate in a twice‑monthly speaker series.

Qualifications

• GPA 3.2+ (on a 4.0 scale).
• Relevant coursework in IR, Security Studies, History, Communications, Journalism, Intl Economics, Political Science, CS or STEM.

Responsibilities

• Monitor the organization’s media profile and track media metrics.
• Develop contacts in broadcast/print media and assist with social media content.
• Synthesize research for communications products and help with website CMS and HTML tasks.

Skills

MS Office

Writing

Media monitoring

Social media

Education

Courses in International Relations/Politics/Journalism/Communications/CS or STEM

Job description

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Internship Opportunities

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a nonpartisan policy institute dedicated exclusively to promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that threaten democracy. The organization was founded shortly after 9/11 by a group of visionary philanthropists and policymakers to engage in the worldwide war of ideas and to support the defense of democratic societies under assault by terrorism and anti-Western groups. FDD combines policy research, investigative journalism, strategic communications, and democracy and counterterrorism education.

About FDD's Internship Program

Based in downtown Washington, D.C., the Foundation for Defense of Democracies has a number of internship opportunities available. All FDD interns will have the opportunity to participate in a twice‑monthly speaker series, which brings high‑level DC officials and senior staff members to engage with interns in an intimate setting. FDD interns will be encouraged to build on their academic skills by working closely with senior staff. FDD is also happy to assist students who wish to earn academic credit for this internship. All interns are eligible for a stipend and will be required to complete specific government documentation before this stipend is paid.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. It is recommended that interested candidates submit applications early. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Communications Department

The Communications Department is seeking full‑time and part‑time interns with an interest in foreign policy, journalism, communications and public relations, social and digital media, web design, and marketing. Interns will experience Washington’s fast‑paced media environment and see first‑hand how policy and media intersect. Interns will monitor the organization’s media profile, assist in tracking media metrics, assist in developing contacts in broadcast/print media, utilize writing skills to synthesize research products, help craft social media content, and many other communications activities. At the end of the term, interns will have developed and diversified their skills to further their careers as communications professionals, reporters, public relations representatives, and Capitol Hill press relations staffers. Applicants must be hard working and eager to learn new skills. Strong writing skills desired. Knowledge of Microsoft Office is a must; experience with website content management systems and HTML are desirable but not required. Internship includes a great speaker series, career support and professional skill‑building.

• Must have at least a 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
• Should have a relevant course of study and have completed coursework in any of the following fields: International Relations, Security Studies, History, Communications, Journalism, International Economics, Political Science, Computer Science, and/or a relevant STEM field of study.
• Interns should have knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including Word, as well as basic Excel skills.
• Must be able to commit to a minimum of 22 hours per week.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.
• Resume/CV
• Cover letter (Please review our website and include which FDD projects and issue areas resonate with you and why. Also indicate where you found this internship and your availability for the semester.)
• Writing Sample (no more than 3 pages)

Please specify the department(s) for which you would like to be considered (feel free to indicate preferences) in your cover letter. While you may use the same cover letter for multiple positions, please submit a separate application for each position of interest.