Volunteering for the Government

If you live or attend school in Washington D.C., you might want to consider volunteering for USAID. Not only does it look great on your resume, but they also offer some paid internships, so you can dedicate your time without having to worry too much about the bills. USAID also offers internships abroad, so there are opportunities for students who aren’t in the D.C. area.

Requirements

In order to volunteer, you need to be a U.S. citizen who is currently enrolled in an accredited college or university. Your GPA must be above 2.0 and you’ll need an official transcript to verify this.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will depend largely on your area of expertise. For example, if you’re a food science major, you may be assigned to an internship in agricultural studies where you will be responsible for researching minerals found in soil. Other potential responsibilities include drafting documents, facilitating meetings and special events, attending program discussions and writing program memoranda.

Benefits of Volunteering

As a volunteer for USAID, you’ll get to see firsthand how the democratic processes of our government work. You will be included in bi-weekly meetings of the entire legal staff for discussions about current issues relating to USAID and to specific foreign assistance programs. As an intern, you may work in an Agency Regional Bureau, such as Africa, Asia Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East or Latin America and the Caribbean, or a technical sector, such as democracy, education, economic growth, global health and humanitarian assistance. USAID internship assignments are also available in the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs. The type of experience you’ll get with internship will be invaluable to your professional growth. You also have the potential to network with government officials who may help you along in your career after graduation. For example, if you’re a criminal justice student, you might make a connection with a judge who will mentor you throughout your career.

How to Apply

There are deadlines and differing application processes for each position, so check with USAID’s website to see how you should proceed.