The Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering informed discussion on national and international affairs. As a small but dynamic team, we rely on the talent and energy of our interns to help us fulfill our mission. In return, our interns gain valuable hands-on experience, personalized mentorship, and professional development in nonprofit management, event planning, marketing, research, development, and membership outreach. It’s a win-win opportunity: interns not only build their skills and networks but also attend and assist at our events and may receive a letter of recommendation from LAWAC leadership if they desire.
Internship Requirements:
- Demonstrated interest in international affairs and politics, and the area relevant to the respective internship position
- Current high school or college student
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Ability to work creatively on a given project
- Must be reliable, responsible, and hard working
- Able to attend at least one event per month
- Additional qualifications are specified in the description for each internship position
Fully remote internships are currently unavailable; most be able to come into the Downtown LA office at least once a week.
*Please note that this is an unpaid internship.
Internship Applications for Fall
Applications for Fall 2025 internships are due by July 31st—please email your resume and cover letter to Krista Seitz, Programs Manager, at kseitz@lawac.org.
Memberhip Intern
The membership intern will assist the Director of Membership and Advancement. The intern will assist with a wide range of tasks relating to administrative support. Tasks include working with the Director to assist with the membership database management, sending out membership renewal letters on a monthly basis, assisting with member retention and surveying our members, calling lapsed members to remind them that their membership has lapsed, and much more.
Events Intern
The events intern will be under the direct supervision of the Programs Manager. The LAWAC regularly hosts and partners to present a variety of events ranging from lectures and panel discussions to special events with academics, diplomats, journalists, and interested community members. The events intern will help to coordinate logistics, registration, and execution of LAWAC events. Applicants should have previous experience in planning and carrying out events of a variety of sizes and types. Audio/Visual experience for live events is a plus but not required.
Marketing Intern
The marketing intern will be under the direct supervision of the Communications Manager. Nonprofit organizations rely on consistent brand identity and the creation of collateral materials that further the reach of that brand. The marketing intern will evaluate the LAWAC's current brand identity and create materials to share about our work with the public. LAWAC, for instance, would love to start making Instagram reels and TikTok videos to attract young professionals and students to our organization. Graphic-design skills and proficiency with Canva are highly encouraged for this internship, and applicants should ideally provide a link to a portfolio of their design work.
Research and Development Intern
Community Outreach Intern
The community outreach intern will be under the direct supervision of the Communications Manager. The Los Angeles community has an incredible array of businesses, organizations, and K-12 and university programs that focus on international topics (e.g. Model United Nations programs or any ethnic student association groups/clubs). The primary work of the community outreach intern will be to catalog and connect with a wide range of internationally oriented organizations and groups in Los Angeles County as a resource for the community. Significant familiarity with the greater Los Angeles community and a willingness to contact strangers is an important qualification for this internship.
High School Program Intern
The high school program intern will support LAWAC’s signature High School Program, which hosts quarterly events specifically designed for high school students across Los Angeles County. The intern will assist with outreach to schools and educators, help coordinate event logistics, manage student registration, and support programming that introduces students to global affairs, diplomacy, and civic engagement. This role is ideal for someone passionate about education, youth engagement, and international issues.
Interning at LAWAC has been an incredible opportunity for me to extend my network outside of the college classroom. I have really enjoyed getting out of the college bubble to participate and help organise events on the topics of international relations, as that is my passion. Getting to know people associated with LAWAC has also opened doors for different work opportunities through the members' connections.
Tevian Thomson
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
The most impactful event I participated in was with Admiral Stavridis, where I assisted with registration and interacted with consuls and professionals, learning about event logistics. I also helped connect a talented friend to sing the national anthem, and it was rewarding to see her perform and network. This experience allowed me to build valuable connections and support others in getting involved.