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.

6 Reasons You Should Volunteer

While you’re in college, you might feel like you have more responsibility than ever. You’ve got papers to write and important exams to study for. You might even have other responsibilities, like soccer practice or a part-time paralegal job to worry about. So why should you spend your valuable free time helping others? Well, there are many reasons, but the most compelling are probably the ones that explain how volunteering helps you. So, here they are:

1. You get to go home feeling good about yourself because you know that somehow you made a small (or large) difference in someone else’s life. You contributed to society. Congratulations.

2. Volunteering experience will look great on your resume. It doesn’t matter what field you decide to go into after college, potential employers will be impressed that you were mature enough to spend your time helping others in need. Volunteering not only shows compassion, but it also shows initiative, commitment and responsibility. So, even if you don’t care for the great feeling you get at the end of the day, you can bask in the glory of the great new job you’ll land upon graduating. And let’s face it, in this economic environment, students can use all the advantage they can get.

3. Some volunteering opportunities are also great for networking. Sure, you can meet some cool new friends, but you might also meet someone who can help you get ahead in your career. Heck, you might even find a mentor. Many successful people volunteer their time at local charities. Why don’t you visit one and check it out for yourself.

4. Volunteering is a great way to meet members of your community, which is great, if you’re new in town. You can get to know your environment much better and show your new neighbors that you’re willing to invest time in making their (and your) community a better place to live.

5. As a volunteer, you may learn new skills that can be used later in life. For example, if you volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, you can learn carpentry and construction skills that may be valuable when you someday own a home of your own. Otherwise, you’ll always have to hire someone to do the handy work.

6. Volunteering gives you something to do with your free time, so you can be sure that you’ll stay out of trouble. Your friends may be hanging out at the bar on a Sunday afternoon while you’re hard at work bettering your life and the lives of others around you.