2024 Aspen Institute Summer Internship

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

ABOUT ASPEN INSTITUTE’S SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Aspen Institute offers an array of internship opportunities. Our positions are designed to provide a valuable educational experience that will allow you to grow your skillset and help connect you with professionals in your area of interest.

From day one, our interns are provided with real-world, hands-on experience. Not only will they work alongside professionals with expertise in a variety of policy and administrative areas, but they will also have the chance to participate in various professional development workshops designed specifically for them, as well as attend events hosted by our Institute programs.

Internships are offered at our offices in Aspen, CO, New York, NY, and Washington, D.C. Applicants should have the ability to work well on diverse teams, be open to new experiences and a drive to excel throughout the internship experience. All internships are paid positions and interns are responsible for securing their own housing. Our standard start date is June 3, 2024, except for a few roles that will be highlighted during the screening and interview stages.

In accordance with our Reimagining Work policy, the intern should be willing to be in-person with colleagues a minimum of 40% of the time while having the flexibility to work remotely for the balance. In-person consists of meaningful connections with colleagues in an office, traveling to a different office or location to meet fellow staff members, at an Aspen event, at a meeting outside the office or other opportunities to meet in person with teammates and colleagues.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The following programs and departments are offering exciting summer internship opportunities. Information regarding each internship can be found below-

Aspen Ideas Festival (Aspen, CO)

The Aspen Ideas Festival is the nation's premier gathering place for leaders from around the globe and across disciplines to engage in inquisitive discussion of the ideas that both shape our lives and challenge our times. The Ideas Festival team will be hiring an underwriter Intern, a speaker intern, a fellows program intern and an editorial intern over the summer.

The Aspen Ideas editorial intern will take on tasks related to the Aspen Ideas Festival website, print production, podcast production, mobile app, social media, and more. This position is ideal for a student or recent graduate with a keen interest in communications, marketing, journalism, and events.

The ideal candidate is highly organized and digitally savvy with outstanding written and verbal communication skills, and is comfortable in a fast-paced, constantly changing event environment. The intern will perform basic functions in the website’s CMS. The intern will also perform basic functions on the mobile app’s administrative system, support podcast team with booking and back-office updates, assist with staffing needs of events, lectures, and seminars, provide general administrative support as needed (copying, answering phones, database entry, fulfilling requests for information, etc.), prepare reports, correspondence, and mailings as requested. Editorial duties may include writing content for the website, assisting with social media, organizing photos and digital files, and gathering quotes during the festival. Interns will be given additional projects as requested by department supervisor.

By the end of the summer, the editorial intern will have deepened their experience in a wide range of communications activities by supporting the editorial work of a world-class event. They will understand and help execute the critical processes that go into producing the festival, from the mobile app to photography and digital coverage. They will increase their interpersonal communications skills and confidence navigating interactions with all sorts of people, from fellow staff to attendees and high-profile speakers.

The Aspen Ideas Festival Speaker Intern position is ideal for a student or recent graduate with an interest in event production, high attention to detail, and strong research skills. The ideal candidate is extremely organized, works well independently and as part of a team, and is able to go with the flow and multitask in a fast-paced environment.

The Aspen Ideas editorial intern will take on tasks related to the Aspen Ideas Festival website, print production, podcast production, mobile app, social media, and more. This position is ideal for a student or recent graduate with a keen interest in communications, marketing, journalism, and events. The ideal candidate is highly organized and digitally savvy with outstanding written and verbal communication skills, and is comfortable in a fast-paced, constantly changing event environment.

By the end of the summer, the editorial intern will have deepened their experience in a wide range of communications activities by supporting the editorial work of a world-class event. They will understand and help execute the critical processes that go into producing the festival, from the mobile app to photography and digital coverage. They will increase their interpersonal communications skills and confidence in navigating interactions with all sorts of people, from fellow staff to attendees and high-profile speakers.

The Fellows Programs Intern will provide administrative and on-site support to the Festival Fellows manager and serve as co-contact for roughly 200 Fellows during Aspen Ideas Health (AIH) and Aspen Ideas Festival (AIF). By the end of the summer, the selected student will strengthen their leadership, organizational and interpersonal communication skills by interacting and supporting over 200 young leaders from around the world via email and in person at the festivals.

This selected student will create strong and long-lasting relationships with the Fellows, as well as the entire Aspen Institute team, which will support them in their personal and professional growth.

Conference Services (Aspen, CO)

Aspen Conference Services department is looking to hire interns with strong event management skills to assist our team with the following summer events: Aspen Ideas: Health and Aspen Ideas Festival, Aspen Security Forum, and the Resnick Aspen Action Forum.

Some of the duties of the Conference Services intern include:
Event Preparation- assisting with the preparation of major event lists such as attendee, housing, and travel, supporting ACS staff with document formatting, printing, copying, and other administrative tasks, preparing credentials for various programs, assisting with volunteer-management, organizing event materials such as swag and signs.

Event Execution- providing on-site logistical support for major events including set-up, registration, venue management, and event break-down, assisting with public ticketing.

Event Debrief- assessing how the event might improve, assessing how the ACS team might improve its role in the event. By the end of the summer, the Conference Services Intern will gain understanding and experience working on event planning and execution, strengthen teamwork and customer service skills and acquire deeper knowledge of Aspen Institute programming.

By the end of the summer, the Conference Services intern will gain understanding and experience working on event planning and execution, strengthen teamwork and customer service skills and acquire deeper knowledge of Aspen Institute programming.

City Innovation (Washington, DC)

The City Innovation program needs a motivated and creative intern to assist with the expansion of Bloomberg CityLab to drive year-round dialogue and action on urban issues and solutions. Bloomberg CityLab, a project of the Aspen Institute and Bloomberg Philanthropies, is entering its 10th annual convening of artists, academics, funders, and other public and private sector leaders focused on improving cities and spreading urban strategies that work. Since 2013, CityLab has occurred in New York, Los Angeles, London, Miami, Paris, Detroit, Washington, DC, and Amsterdam. The multi-day gathering shares creative ideas and solutions with city leaders to create inclusive and thriving communities.

The intern will support the Director of City Innovation and Program Coordinator, City Innovation, Aspen Institute's existing partnership with the Government Innovation team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Aspen Ideas team to develop and execute content for the annual Bloomberg CityLab event. Additionally, this position will help transition Bloomberg CityLab from an annual event into a year-round series of programming that connects city leaders around the world to the best, most innovative thinking on urban issues and solutions.

The ideal candidate will bring an entrepreneurial and creative mindset with strong graphic design, social media, newsletter editing, and event logistics experience. The intern should also have an appreciation for excellent customer service, problem solving, and teamwork.

By the end of the summer, the selected student will strengthen their interpersonal communication skills by interacting with internal and external stakeholders via email, phone calls and face to face meetings; Gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to run a successful team and events; Build a network of professionals in the urban policy space in the US and abroad.

Ascend (Washington, DC)

Ascend at the Aspen Institute is a catalyst and convener for diverse leaders working across systems and sectors to build intergenerational family prosperity and well-being by intentionally focusing on children and the adults in their lives together. We believe in the power of co-creation. We are a community of leaders — well-connected, well-prepared and well-positioned — building political will that transforms hearts, minds, policies, and practices. https://ascend.aspeninstitute.org/about-ascend/

Ascend Interns will provide support for the Managing Director and program staff, who have primary responsibility of program design and execution of program deliverables. Successful candidates will have a proven track record of taking initiative and an ability to learn and process information quickly and effectively. In addition, the intern will have strong interpersonal skills, exceptional organizing capacity, and a general knowledge of and interest in supports for student parents.

Aspen Forum for Community Solutions (Washington, DC)

The Global Opportunity Youth Network is a pioneering, collaborative effort to support “Opportunity Youth” – young people aged 15-29 who are out of school, unemployed, or working in informal jobs – in communities around the world. GOYN addresses systemic barriers that prevent youth from accessing opportunity. GOYN’s current footprint includes 13 communities in eight countries (Brazil, Colombia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania) with plans to grow to 5-10 new communities in 2024. GOYN engages multiple partners and stakeholders across ecosystems, from young people and local NGOs to employers, funders, and consultants. At the global level, GOYN is supported by a group of technical and funding partners, including Global Development Incubator, Prudential Financial Inc., Accenture, Conrad Hilton Foundation, and Catholic Relief Services as well as several other philanthropic partners.

GOYN is seeking an intern to provide programmatic and communications support in a fast-paced global environment. The intern will share a passion for advancing youth economic opportunity globally and a commitment to equity and addressing structural injustices that are barriers to youth accessing decent work. This intern will be organized and flexible, have excellent writing skills, and the ability to interact with staff and external stakeholders at all levels. The intern will gain insight into the broad range of tasks that support the management of a global organization. The internship will involve activities related to partnerships research and development, event planning, marketing, and communications.

Religion and Society (Washington, DC)

The Religion & Society Program ignites change through convening, catalyzing, and researching the challenges and opportunities at the convergence of religion, culture, and justice. The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program (RSP), launched in 2012, envisioned a thriving American religious pluralism, where everyone has the rights, freedoms, and safety to worship, or not, according to their conscience. Over the past five years, the Religion & Society Program has focused on understanding and sharing how religion can be leveraged to address social inequities and strengthen social cohesion.

The Program focuses on bridging the gap between ideas and impact, building the capacity of faith-based leaders, galvanizing philanthropic investment through our Religious Pluralism Funder’s Circle, and serving as a national knowledge hub through our scholarship that informs and connects leaders from various fields and worldviews. By emphasizing network and community building, through our Powering Pluralism Network, the Program is creating and amplifying connections that can break down barriers for generations to come.

The Program and Events intern will work with the Religion & Society Deputy Director to support the development and production of programming of the racial justice and religion initiative. Launched in May 2023, the Racial Justice & Religion Initiative at the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program will help build the understanding of religion’s role in racial justice work by providing educational opportunities for members to develop a more accurate picture of the challenges and opportunities that exist at the intersection of race and religion. Additionally, the initiative will convene capacity building offerings that center, support, and uplift leaders from historically marginalized communities who work on these issues and help bring their insights and expertise into the public square.

The Racial Justice & Religion Intern will report to the Deputy Director and will be responsible for daily program tasks in fulfillment of their work-study guidelines and responsibilities. This internship may be completed fully remote or within commuting distance to our Washington, DC office.

Aspen Global Leadership Network, Leadership Division (Washington, DC)

The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) is a growing, worldwide community of entrepreneurial leaders from business, government and the nonprofit sector – over 3,500 “Fellows” from over 50 countries – who share a commitment to enlightened leadership and to using their extraordinary creativity, energy and resources to tackle the foremost societal challenges of our times. All share the common experience of participating in the Henry Crown Fellowship or one of the other 13 active Aspen Global Leadership Network initiatives it has inspired in the United States, Africa, Central America, India, the Middle East and China.

The Resnick Aspen Action Forum is one of the Aspen Institute's greatest platforms for sparking real and measurable change in the world. Each year, more than 350 entrepreneurs—most of whom are members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network—gather in Aspen for 4 days of seminars, workshops, topical dialogues, and keynote addresses. The Forum offers participants a chance to retreat from the spotlight, refresh their perspectives on their work and lives, and build relationships with other leaders from across the globe. Action Forum participants are motivated to make a dent in some of today’s most intractable global challenges.

The Resnick Aspen Action Forum Intern will provide programmatic, operational, and administrative support for the Action Forum Team. Applicants should have an interest in planning major international events, a keen attention to detail, and strong written and oral communication skills. The ideal intern will have an Interest in event planning Excellent oral and written communication skills Excellent computer skills including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and a level of comfort working with new databases and systems Strong attention to detail and ability to multi-task under pressure of deadlines Self-motivated, with initiative and a strong capacity for collaborative work.

By the end of the summer, the selected intern will have a holistic understanding of planning, managing, and executing a large scale international gathering by assisting on a variety of task areas from participant experience, vendor management, program development, and onsite execution.

Financial Security Program (Washington, DC)

The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program’s (Aspen FSP) mission is to illuminate and solve the most critical financial challenges facing American households and to make financial security for all a top national priority. We aim for nothing less than a more inclusive economy with reduced wealth inequality and shared prosperity. We believe that transformational change requires innovation, trust, leadership, and entrepreneurial thinking. Aspen FSP galvanizes a diverse set of leaders across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to solve the most critical financial challenges. We do this through deep, deliberate private and public dialogues and by elevating evidence-based research and solutions that will strengthen the financial health and security of financially vulnerable Americans.

The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program is looking for an intern who will be responsible for Social Media Management (LinkedIn, X)., Social Media Strategy and Scheduling, website skills like HTML coding - Data Collection and Interpretation, slide Deck Creation and graphic Design.

By the end of the summer, The FSP Intern will strengthen their skills in understanding the varying components of a communications strategy and specifically how social media and email marketing components play into the strategy, also improving their content creation skills.

Energy and Environment (Washington, DC)

The Energy and Environment Program addresses energy and environmental policy and is actively and purposefully engaging in climate change policy – mitigating the effects of climate change, adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, and helping to build relationships for cooperation.

The EEP interns will support this policy work through research and writing - including social media posts. Some additional responsibilities include providing research background materials for staff and program readings, assisting with the preparation for and execution of events, writing media posts and press releases to promote the work of the program, participate in regular staff meetings and performing other duties as needed.

By the end of the summer, the selected student will strengthen their communication skills by interacting with internal and external stakeholders. They will leave the experience with a better understanding of how energy and climate policy is understood and crafted and will have made a contribution to bettering the planet.

Business and Society Program (New York, NY)

The Aspen Institute Business and Society Program (Aspen BSP) works with business executives and scholars to align business decisions and investments with the long-term health of society—and the planet. Through carefully designed networks, working groups and focused dialogue, the Program identifies and inspires thought leaders and “intrapreneurs” to challenge conventional ideas about capitalism and markets, to test new measures of business success and to connect classroom theory and business practice.

The Business & Society Program is looking for an intern to provide events and administrative support for our summer events, particularly our 2024 Aspen ESG Summit. The intern will work closely with our Senior Events Associate and other team members in executing all aspects of the event, along with providing support for other summer events and special projects as needed.

By the end of this summer, the selected student will have gained firsthand knowledge of important issues in the business and society ESG space, hands-on experience in all things related to event management, enhanced organizational and time management skills and stronger interpersonal skills and professional presence.

Aspen Economic Strategy Group (Washington, DC)

The Aspen Economic Strategy Group (AESG), a program of the Aspen Institute, is composed of a diverse, bipartisan group of distinguished leaders and thinkers with the goal of promoting evidence-based solutions to significant U.S. economic challenges. Co-chaired by Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and Timothy F. Geithner, the AESG fosters the exchange of economic policy ideas and seeks to clarify the lines of debate on emerging economic issues while promoting bipartisan relationship-building among current and future generations of policy leaders in Washington.

The AESG is seeking an intern with a demonstrated interest in economic policy who is motivated, responsible, and detail oriented. The ideal candidate has a passion for supporting a wide range of communications, operational, administrative, and logistical tasks; is creative, enterprising, and eager to learn on the job; is excited about balancing multiple, often simultaneous, activities; and has extremely high standards for the quality of their work. Qualified candidates must demonstrate exceptional verbal and written communication skills, impeccable attention to detail, and the ability to flourish on a small, dynamic, and fast-paced team. Critical thinking skills are also essential, as is the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations.

Note: Candidate must be available to attend the AESG annual meeting in Aspen, Colorado, July 29-31, 2024.

The AESG's summer intern will strengthen their organization, time management, and interpersonal communication skills and gain experience working with high-profile principals. The AESG's summer intern will gain a greater understanding of contemporary US economic policies and grow their ability to summarize and understand them.

Center for Native American Youth (Washington, DC)

The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute is a national education and advocacy organization that works alongside Native youth—ages 24 and under—on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety, and overall well- being. All Native youth deserve to lead full and healthy lives, have equal access to opportunity, draw strength from Native culture, and inspire one another. At CNAY, this is achieved through empowerment and culturally-competent methodologies that include leadership, youth-led policy agenda, and youth-led narrative.

The CNAY program is looking to hire an intern who will support their program’s initiatives by handling events planning, communications, administrative and research/writing tasks including creating succinct summaries for audiences with varying levels of familiarity with Native American tribes and issues, drafting correspondence, blog posts, social media copy, and other written materials, adhering to CNAY’s organizational tone, keeping abreast of news and current trends in Indian Country, disseminating information on key issues to team members as appropriate, attending relevant events in D.C. and drafting summaries of events attended in an accessible, organized format.

By the end of the summer, CNAY's intern will have an increased understanding of developing youth programming that is culturally responsive and immersed in Indigenous ways of knowing.

Aspen Ideas: Health (Washington, DC)

Aspen Ideas: Health is the opening session of the Aspen Ideas Festival, the nation's premier public gathering for leaders from around the globe to engage in the deep and inquisitive issues and ideas that shape our lives. Aspen Ideas: Health takes place June 24-27, 2020, and presents cutting edge content on health and medicine—always through a global lens. Stimulating and often provocative, the program features some of the world’s leading doers, thinkers, and visionaries; the icons and the up-and-comers of our time. 2020 marks the conference’s seventh year.

Over the summer, the Aspen Ideas Health program will need a Speaker Logistics Support Intern and a Marketing and Communications Support Intern.

The Speaker Logistics Support Intern will be responsible for managing speaker registration materials, maintaining speaker databases, reporting on speaker data, coordinating the AIH on-site bookstore and author signings, working with speakers on-site throughout the event.

The Marketing and Communications Support Intern’s duties include writing articles for the blog, assisting with social media content and engagement, video clipping, studio scheduling, organizing photos and digital files and gathering quotes during the event.

By the end of the summer, the selected students will strengthen their interpersonal communication skills by interacting with internal and external stakeholders via email, phone calls and face to face meetings and their organizational skills by working in a fast-paced, detail-oriented large-scale event.

Society of Fellows, Office of Institutional Advancement (Aspen, CO)

The Society of Fellows (SOF) is a national community of Aspen Institute supporters who actively participate in Aspen Institute programs, act as advocates and ambassadors, and help financially sustain the Institute’s work. Founded in 1964, the Society of Fellows has more than 1,700 members nationally who share a passion for the Aspen Institute and provide important unrestricted financial support. In thanks for their generous support, SOF members have access to over 50 member-exclusive events every year in Aspen, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Palm Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and other locations around the country. The Society of Fellows team is an eight-person staff within the Office of Institutional Advancement. The SOF team engages Society of Fellows members to secure support that furthers the mission and all the work of the Aspen Institute.

The Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) oversees the Aspen Institute’s fundraising and donor relations. The Society of Fellows (SOF), a department of OIA, is the Institute’s national membership program that raises crucial unrestricted funding through unique and year-round programmatic experiences. Featuring thought leaders and topic experts, programs are designed to build community amongst supporters and enhance their engagement with the important work of the Aspen Institute. Interns will also practice advancement skills through the support of the Society of Fellows Regional Director and scheduling of stewardship and cultivation meetings, maintenance of the member hotline, execution of regular mailings, and event attendance recording. All interns are expected to also provide general operational support, record data in Salesforce, and work events as needed (including weekly Society of Fellows and Aspen Community programs, Aspen Ideas Festival, Summer Celebration, and Socrates Dinner). Ideal candidates will have great customer service skills, experience working events, will be highly detail-oriented, will have knowledge in communications and marketing best practices and will be able to handle sensitive information with detail, discretion, and care.

Over the summer, our interns will strengthen interpersonal communication skills by interacting with internal and external stakeholders via email, phone calls and face to face meetings, acquire hands-on experience in planning and executing events for fundraising and awareness, learn the logistics of event management, including budgeting, scheduling, and vendor coordination, gain a comprehensive understanding of philanthropy, including its history, principles, and various models, learn how to manage and update donor databases, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information, understand the importance of data privacy and ethical considerations in managing donor information, build professional relationships with donors, sponsors, and other stakeholders, learn to effectively communicate the mission and goals of the organization to diverse audiences, develop the ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges in event planning and philanthropic work, learn problem-solving skills to address issues that may arise during the course of projects and events, gain awareness of cultural nuances and diversity considerations in philanthropy and event planning, and learn how to create inclusive events that resonate with a diverse audience

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Must be enrolled in or recent graduate of an accredited college/university
• Professionalism and good judgment
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Team player with ability to work well independently and with others
• Able to adapt quickly and easily to change
• Great interpersonal skills, including a desire to learn and the ability to be flexible and proactive
• Design skills are a plus but not required (Canva, InDesign, etc.)
• Great interpersonal skills, including a desire to learn and the ability to be flexible and proactive
• Detail oriented
• Excellent computer skills required, specifically, expertise with: Microsoft Office product.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Applications are due at 11:59 p.m. ET on the 10th of February 2024. You will be contacted directly only if you are selected for an interview. Timing of interviews is dependent on each program or department. If you have any questions regarding your application, please send an email to

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

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