Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization: The Aspen Institute is a renowned global nonprofit organization dedicated to realizing a free, just, and equitable society.

The Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group (Aspen CSG) is one of the Institute's 50+ policy programs. A leading voice in rural community and economic development, Aspen CSG is a connecting hub for practitioners, organizations, and policymakers. We specialize in convening rural and Indigenous doers and thinkers to advance proven practices in the field.

Internship Summary: Aspen CSG seeks an intern who is eager to learn about rural policy issues and is interested in supporting program activities and communications. This internship offers a unique eight-week opportunity to learn about Aspen CSG’s program areas, collaborate with industry professionals, and develop valuable policy, research, and communication skills.

The intern will play a pivotal role in enhancing Aspen CSG’s communications and programmatic goals by creating and updating website content, researching federal resources, and crafting impactful blogs, graphics, policy briefs, and fact sheets. We invite you to apply if you are passionate about equitable rural development and eager to make a meaningful impact.

Responsibilities:

• Create content for our bi-monthly newsletter, social media, and other communications materials supporting Aspen CSG’s products and initiatives.
• Assist in the design and execution of policy events, including preparing Canva slides, drafting invite language, and taking event notes.
• Create and update website content. This work may include compiling the latest federal policy updates and highlighting key takeaways from Aspen CSG reports.
• Draft blogs, policy briefs, and fact sheets on rural issues.
• Design graphics and other materials in Canva.
• Identify and take notes on learnings from webinars
• Add and update contact data in Salesforce.
• Proofread and copy-edit as needed.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Ability to work Monday-Thursday with 9-5 pm ET business hours.
• Strong interest in equitable rural development.
• Strong interest in communications projects, data gathering & analysis, website projects and/or graphic design.
• Respect for and ability to build relationships with people from all backgrounds.
• Experience living in or working with rural and/or Indigenous communities is a plus, as is experience working with or living in immigrant communities.
• Experience with Canva, WordPress, and/or Salesforce is a plus.

About the Supervisor: Erin Cahill is the Associate Director of Communications at Aspen CSG. Erin Cahill is a skilled communications leader with expertise in strategic initiatives across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. At Aspen CSG, she deftly links rural development issues, driving narrative change and cross-sector connections, and promotes equitable rural prosperity by amplifying marginalized voices and communities.

Modality: Due to increased team travel during the summer, this internship is virtual. However, you are welcome to work from our DC office, 2300 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20037, and overlap with Aspen CSG team members and other Institute colleagues.

Start Date: Summer internships will start on June 2 or 16, with the specific end date agreed upon during the interview process.