The Mansfield Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes understanding and cooperation between Asia and the United States, is proud to support the professional development of young Asia policy professionals through its Internship Program. This program is open to undergraduate students, recent graduates, and graduate students who are interested in gaining first-hand program management experience working in a Washington, D.C.-based Asia policy non-profit. It will be held primarily in person.
Our Spring 2027 internships are part-time, paid positions ($18.40 per hour) that require a commitment of 20-29 hours per week. While the internship allows for a hybrid work environment, selected candidates must be available to work on-site at our Washington, D.C. Office as well. The ideal start dates for these positions will be in mid-January 2027.
Duties:
Interns will work on a variety of projects related to program management during their time with the Foundation. Specific internship duties include, but are not limited to:
- Provide logistical support to Program Officers and senior leadership as needed.
- Create a daily news report and weekly events list focused on U.S.-Asia relations.
- Assist program staff in drafting newsletter articles and blog posts.
- Research topics relevant to Foundation operations and programs (e.g. one-pagers for briefing books, potential guest speakers, options for accommodations, catering, transportation, etc.).
- Proofread and edit Foundation documents.
- Take notes at internal meetings and public events.
- Perform general administrative tasks.
Qualifications:
- All applicants must be U.S. citizens or have authorization to work in the United States.
- Highly motivated undergraduate, recent graduate, or graduate student in good standing and with a strong interest or background in Asian affairs.
- Collegiate-level written and oral English communication skills.
- Professional demeanor, excellent problem-solving skills, organizational abilities, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work with a diverse group of people, both independently and as part of a team.
- Proficiency in Japanese or Korean is a plus but not required.
* Please Note: Current Mansfield program participants are not eligible to participate in the Mansfield Internship Program. Interested participants may apply after completion of program requirements.
Internship Benefits:
- Compensation is set at $18.40 per hour for 20-29 hours per week. This position is considered part-time and does not include a full-time employment benefits package.
- Academic credit, where permitted by the student’s university; the Foundation is happy to complete any required supervisor forms.
- Access to exclusive Foundation roundtables, program events, and other activities.
- Exposure to senior government, business, and NGO leaders from the United States and various Asian countries.
- Professional development in a challenging environment that prepares interns for full-time employment.
- Opportunity to gain experience in areas of office management, event planning, policy analysis, presentations and briefing, and professional writing.
How to Apply:
Applications for the Spring 2027 semester are due by 11:59 PM EDT on October 19, 2026. Candidates should submit the following materials by email to applications@mansfieldfdn.org with the subject line “Spring 2027 Internship – [Full Name]”:
- Cover Letter: Please explain why you want to intern at the Mansfield Foundation, learning objectives for your internship experience, and how it fits with your career goals.
- Resume: Please list your complete educational and professional data and information about extracurricular activities.
- Availability: In the body of your email, please confirm the number of hours you would be available to work, your ability to work in-person, and your earliest possible start date.
- Writing Sample: Please enclose a one- to two-page writing sample (can be an excerpt from a larger piece, in which case please provide a short explanation of the piece’s context).
Interviews will be conducted sometime in late October.
No phone calls, please. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Internship Program Alumni:
Our interns have hailed from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, and France, as well as from across the United States. They have represented schools including, but not limited to: Georgetown University; University of Texas at Austin; Northwestern University; University of California at Los Angeles; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of Delhi, India; Ewha Womens University, Korea; and Keio University, Japan.
We are proud that Mansfield Internship Program alumni continue to make great contributions to U.S.-Asia relations after their time with us. Our alumni have gone on to serve in a variety of prestigious positions such as:
- Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
- Program Associate, Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership
- Legislative Assistant, Office of Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
- International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce
- Paralegal, U.S. Department of Justice
- Assistant Project Director for Northeast Asia, National Committee on American Foreign Policy, Inc.
- Assistant Language Teacher, Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET)
- And many more!
If you are a Mansfield Internship Program alum and would like to let us know about where you are now, please reach out to Amelia Hecsh at ahecsh@mansfieldfdn.org. We’d love to hear from you!