Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization: The mission of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute is to strengthen the understanding of religion’s role in advancing equity and the common good by shifting ideas, policies, and practices. Launched in 2012, the Program envisions a society where religious and non-religious people thrive, respecting and engaging together across beliefs. We call this vision Religious Pluralism.

The world we live in today is multi-religious, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic. The Religion & Society Program believes there is value in those differences. 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.

Internship Summary: The Communications Intern will report to the Communications Team (Senior Communications Associate) and will be responsible for daily Communications 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.

Example Projects to Be Completed:

• Complete a social media advertising campaign for our development work, driving individual donations
• Create a new brand design guide and accompanying graphics for social, print, digital and email marketing for a new program initiative or event within existing brand guidelines
• Draft, execute, and evaluate the results of a communications campaign, from start to finish, for an upcoming program launch or initiative.
• Create a comprehensive messaging toolkit for the program around a specific aspect of Religious Pluralism.
• Create training for team members around successful elements of communications strategy, such as op-ed writing, media interviews, blog writing, etc.

Responsibilities:

• Draft weekly content for one of the following social media platforms: Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook, and schedule content once approved by the Senior Communications Associate.
• Create appropriate social media and email marketing graphics for event promotion, fellow and network outreach, and development outreach.
• Manage all email marketing lists and email marketing list strategy in iContact, removing duplicate addresses, updating information, and keeping the database generally up to date.
• Create, execute, and evaluate the results of one communications plan for an upcoming conference, event, or program initiative. Interns are free to choose which event, conference, or other initiative they’d like to support within the Religion & Society program and propose a draft plan to the Senior Communications Associate for review.
• They will then relay with appropriate programs, development and operations staff to execute the communications plan, with the oversight of the Senior Communications Associate.
• Own the updating and organization of branded program materials, including reports and graphics, in partnership with Aspen Communications

Preferred Qualifications:

• Currently a student or graduate student at an accredited university or community college
• Interest in nonprofit communications strategy, religion and its role in society, and religious pluralism
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite Programs
• Detail-oriented, collaborative, and self-sufficient. Must feel comfortable moving forward on projects with minimal oversight.
• Experience with project management software, such as Asana, Basecamp or Monday.com, a plus
• Experience with Canva design software a plus

About the Supervisor: Rev. Audrey Price, Ph.D., is the Deputy Director of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute. Leveraging 30 years of experience as a project manager, religious leader, and scholar, Rev. Dr. Price serves as advisor and thought partner to the Executive Director on high-level strategy while managing the day-to-day implementation of the program strategy.

Location, Modality: Mostly Remote - 2300 N Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20037

Start and End Date: Summer internships will take place during the period of June 10 - September 27, with specific dates to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process.