The blavatnik internship program originated from a generous donation by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.
Annually, the program offers over a hundred paid internships, providing participants with valuable insights into crucial foreign policy matters.
Blavatnik interns engage directly with prominent experts and practitioners while receiving professional development training.
This includes:
a series of skill-focused workshops, training sessions, and and career advice, serving as a solid foundation for their future endeavors in foreign policy, international affairs, and beyond.
By ensuring competitive hourly wages for all interns, the program aims to broaden accessibility to the Council’s highly competitive internships, welcoming qualified students from diverse backgrounds.
This initiative fosters the infusion of new talent and diverse perspectives into the realm of international relations.
About Len Blavatnik
Len Blavatnik, a CFR member and founder of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, is a global industrialist and philanthropist dedicated to:
- advancing science
- higher education
- good governance
- the arts through substantial involvement and charitable contributions.
Access Industries, a privately held U.S.-based industrial group, holds strategic investments globally in media and telecommunications, natural resources and chemicals, venture capital, real estate, and biotechnology.
5 objectives for blavatnik internship program
1-Provide Valuable Professional Experience:
The primary objective of theblavatnik internship program is to offer interns hands-on, substantive work experience in various departments.
This allows them to develop practical skills and insights into the field of foreign policy.
2- Enhance Skill Development:
The program aims to enhance the professional skills of Blavatnik interns through a structured Intern Professional Development program.
This includes skill-based workshops, training sessions, and career advice, focusing on areas such as writing, editing, research, and program planning.
3- Promote Diversity and Inclusivity:
The program seeks to broaden access to highly competitive internships by actively encouraging applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.
This objective is aligned with the goal of fostering new talent and incorporating a range of perspectives in the field of international relations.
4- Facilitate Exposure to Foreign Policy Experts:
The program aims to integrate interns into meetings and events programming, providing them with opportunities to gain insights into critical foreign policy issues.
This exposure includes interactions with world leaders, U.S. policymakers, and sought-after experts, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the field.
5- Support Career Path Exploration:
The blavatnik internship program strives to familiarize interns with various career paths in foreign policy and beyond.
By offering exposure to a multitude of foreign policy career options, the program assists interns in making informed decisions about their future careers.
This also fosters the development of the next generation of leaders in government, academia, and the private sector.
Eligibility and How to Apply for the blavatnik internship program?
The blavatnik internship program operates on a rolling basis, accepting interns throughout the year on a semester schedule for positions in both the New York and Washington, DC, offices.
Intern responsibilities typically include research, editing and writing, event coordination, and departmental support.
Various internship opportunities are available, including those spanning areas such as:
- digital content
- the studies program
- global communications
- Corporate Program
- Washington Program
- the meetings Program
- foreign affairs.
Eligibility Criteria for the blavatnik internship program:
The Blavatnik Internship Program generally considers undergraduate and graduate students with majors in international relations, political science, economics, or related fields.
Applicants for blavatnik internship program should have completed the equivalent of four semesters of college coursework and possess excellent skills in administration, writing, research, and computers, along with previous office experience.
Regional specialization, language skills, and additional requirements may be necessary for certain internships.
Interns are expected to commit to fourteen to eighteen hours per week.
How do I apply for the blavatnik internship program?
CFR posts internship opportunities on its website in June for the fall semester, October for the spring semester, and February for the summer semester.
To apply, interested candidates can visit the CFR website during these specified times and follow the application instructions provided.
As an equal opportunity employer, CFR actively encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.
Participants in blavatnik internship program engage in CFR’s Intern Professional:
- Development program.
- supplementing their substantive work with skill-based workshops.
- training sessions
- career advice.
These events aim to enhance interns’ writing, editing, research, and program planning skills while also refining resumes and familiarizing interns with diverse foreign policy career paths.
CFR ensures that interns are integrated into its comprehensive meetings and events programming, providing exposure to critical foreign policy issues and facilitating interactions with world leaders, U.S.
policymakers, and renowned experts. Beyond professional development, CFR hosts various events, including brown bag lunches with policy experts, a health fair, and an annual Ping-Pong championship, all contributing to a well-rounded blavatnik internship program experience.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation generously supports the distinctive blavatnik internship program.
Council member Len Blavatnik, a distinguished philanthropist and global business leader, played a pivotal role in facilitating this gift.
This contribution aligns with Blavatnik’s commitment to fostering new talent and nurturing the next generation of leaders across government, academia, and the private sector.
Interns are compensated with a competitive hourly wage, and as this is a paid opportunity, they must have the legal right to work for any employer in the United States.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the blavatnik internship program at CFR stands as a dynamic initiative with a multifaceted approach to shaping the next generation of leaders in foreign policy and international affairs.
By actively engaging interns in substantive work, professional development opportunities, and exposure to critical foreign policy issues, the program not only contributes to their immediate growth but also lays a solid foundation for their future endeavors in the field.
The commitment to diversity ensures that a broad range of perspectives is incorporated, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic landscape within the realm of international relations.
Supported by the generous contribution of the Blavatnik Family Foundation and with the facilitation of Council member Len Blavatnik, the program is a testament to the dedication of philanthropists and global leaders to nurturing talent.
Check the Blavatnik Family Foundation site
In essence, the blavatnik internship program serves as a gateway for aspiring professionals to gain invaluable insights, develop essential skills, and make lasting contributions to the broader discourse on foreign policy.
As these interns embark on their respective journeys, equipped with the experiences and knowledge gained, they are poised to become influential contributors to the fields of government, academia, and the private sector.
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