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Internships - The Women's Research and Education Institute - DC Metro Region

The Women's Research and Education Institute (WREI), is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides information and analyses on issues of concern to women, to policy makers, and others interested in women's issues. WREI was founded in 1977 and is supported by private-sector grants and contributions.

WREI accepts internship applications for the summer, fall, and spring academic semesters. All application materials must be received by the corresponding deadlines:

• Summer Internship: April 1
• Fall Internship: June 1
• Spring Internship: November 1

Typical WREI Projects

• Preparing fact sheets
• Holding conferences and briefings (usually on Capitol Hill) for the dissemination of policy-related information to congressional staffers and advocates for women
• Compiling and editing The American Woman , a book on the status of women (published every other year)
• Publishing papers on issues of importance to women (some of these papers are commissioned from outside experts and edited by WREI staff; others are prepared entirely in-house)
• Responding to inquires from the press and others
• The Women in the Military project; Hire-A-Vet program
• The Congressional Fellowships on Women and Public Policy

What Interns Do At WREI
Interns assist WREI staff on various projects. Depending on the time of the year and what projects are on the "front burner," interns may:

• Be responsible in part for organizing Capitol Hill briefings and conferences on key issues;
• Help prepare fact sheets that gather, analyze, and explain key statistics about such topics as women's employment, health status, education, housing, etc.;
• Provide other research and editorial assistance needed to prepare The American Woman and other materials for publication;
• Assist with preparations for fund-raising events;
• Represent WREI at Washington-area seminars and other events.

Interns can count on being given substantive assignments, but they must also willingly help with clerical work-answering phones, mailings, copying documents, etc.

Internship Information and Application Guidelines

• WREI is unable to pay interns.
• Interns must have completed at least one year of college.
• The usual internship is for about 10 to 12 weeks (i.e., roughly corresponding to the academic semester or summer vacation period.)
• We generally expect interns to work a 30-hour week, but we sometimes make exceptions.
• We consider that interns are members of WREI's staff while they are here, and we include them in virtually all our activities.
• WREI is located in downtown Washington , DC , blocks away from the White House, the National Mall, and numerous museums and monuments.

To apply, write a brief letter telling us of your interest and specifying when you could begin, and when you expect to end, your internship.

Also include:

• Resume
• College transcripts
• A writing sample of 2-5 double-spaced pages (can be the introduction/conclusion of a college paper)
• 2 letters of recommendation

Applications and supporting materials should be sent directly to the

Women's Research & Education Institute,
Attn.: Internships,
1750 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 350 ,
Washington , DC 20006