Intern
PHI is passionate about cultivating the next generation of anti-trafficking activists to bolster the international movement. Toward this objective, PHI accepts up to ten interns each academic semester and summer from varied academic disciplines all with career interests in human rights and public service.
Successful completion of the internship program is contingent upon students’ participation in proposal writing and budget classes at the Foundation Center, attendance at human trafficking-related hearings on Capitol Hill and conferences in Washington, DC, participation in social activism and leadership classes (SALSA), and research visits to Provisions Library, a resource for social activists in Washington, DC. Internships are conducted on both a credit and a non-credit basis, in coordination primarily with universities in the greater Washington, DC, metro area.
Interns obtain a unique perspective on the daily workings of an NGO, which serves to broaden their career horizons. Interns are able to take on considerable responsibility and work on substantive projects during their internships. Each semester, current interns and staff participate in the American University biannual internship and career fair to reach out to fellow students.
Graduates of PHI’s internship program have pursued careers with other NGOs focused on the issue of human trafficking, conducted original research, and contributed their writings to scholarly publications.
Hear what interns say about their experiences
“As a result of its substative nature, PHI’s internship program provided me with the opportunity to refocus my previously honed business and management skills in the context of a nonprofit. My experience was tailored specifically to my interests and expertise.”
—Kristin Maresca
Graduate Student - American University
2005 PHI Intern
“My 2004 internship with Project HOPE International exposed me to the cruel reality of human trafficking. Through the many resources that PHI has on trafficking and the experience of the founder and director, I learned a great extent in detail about the facts of trafficking and the personal accounts of the people facing this hardship. In spite of the severity of this grave human rights abuse, through the efforts of PHI and my own efforts as an intern and the president of the American University chapter of PHI, I was able to raise awareness to encourage other students to fight human trafficking. Through a film screening and speaker panel, more students and faculty learned about human trafficking, and through organizing an alternative gift fair, I raised money for PHI’s efforts in Southeast Asia and the greater Washington, DC, area. Through my experiences with PHI, I have enhanced my communication, organizational, and leadership ability. I further learned that working with a small NGO means a lot of responsibility as an intern in assuring that PHI gets the job done. It is at times hectic and stressful, yet always turns out to be rewarding to see a project you have been working on end up as a success. I have been able to witness how someone can channel their passion into a constructive means of creating change with dedication and initiative.”
—Vanessa Stevens