Dear Professor Smith,

The Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State are pleased to share two exciting virtual internship opportunities for your bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. students.  We would appreciate you sharing these opportunities with your students.  Applications opened on July 1 and close July 31.

Virtual internships provide a year-long opportunity for students to gain and enhance valuable expertise.  Virtual interns are eligible to receive credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters.  Although virtual interns work remotely, they are mentored by two experienced members of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms team through bi-monthly phone calls and weekly reports.  Past interns have found the experience to be both enjoyable and professionally valuable.

A description of the two internship opportunities is included below.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you, in advance, for sharing these opportunities with your students.

Sincerely,

Lisa

Lisa Sellman

Program Operations Specialist

U.S. Department of State

Diplomatic Reception Rooms

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202-647-1993

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION ROOMS

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Historic Artifact Researcher:

In this position, virtual interns will become adept at identifying and qualifying trusted primary resources from national repositories. Interns will turn their findings into "Educator Resources" which will be used in DRR's national education initiative which focuses on bring object-based learning into classrooms.

The Office of the Curator has recently launched an educational initiative which focuses on sharing the Diplomatic Reception Rooms’ historic collection of fine and decorative art with 6-12th grade educators, students, and the public. This internship provides an unparalleled opportunity to identify resources and materials that will be shared worldwide. This internship is open to Masters and Ph.D. candidates ONLY. 

The successful applicant must have extensive collections and/or artifact research experience and a deep interest in American history. They must be adept at identifying and qualifying trusted primary resources and materials from repositories, both online and in person, and be extremely discerning and thorough. Students must be pursuing degrees in fine or decorative arts, American history, American studies, art history, arts management, English, exhibition design, history, material culture, museum education, museum studies, or a related field.

To apply:  Students should visit USAJobs.gov between July 1 and July 31 to create a USAJobs profile and apply.  Search for “Historic Artifact Researcher”. Office code:  M/FA.  Office:  Diplomatic Reception Rooms (DRR), Office of the Curator 

Strategic Writer:

This virtual, experience-oriented internship will give Masters and exceptional Bachelor’s candidates the opportunity to hone their writing skills and build a strong portfolio by writing a variety of materials, with a focus on social media for the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State.

The Office of the Curator is launching a new website for the Diplomatic Reception Rooms (DRR) focused on sharing their historic collection of art and artifacts with students and teachers and promoting their national education program, the Declaration of Learning. As part of this initiative, the selected applicant will create a variety of assets for the website including, but not limited to, writing feature articles, news articles, blogs, program descriptions, and much more. The selected applicant will also have the opportunity to write print articles and marketing materials, based on their skills and experience. The internship includes the opportunity to conduct interviews and hone writing skills with the assistance of seasoned editors and writers. There is also an opportunity to produce content for social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The successful applicant must be able to write in a variety of styles and be comfortable writing for various platforms using established writing principles. Writers must be able to think critically and communicate large-scale initiatives in a way that is understandable, engaging, and resonates with diverse audiences. The Strategic Writer supports the work of the Senior Advisor for Education, Marketing and Outreach of the DRR.

To apply:  Students should visit USAJobs.gov between July 1 and July 31 to create a USAJobs profile and apply.  Search for “Strategic Writer”. Office code:  M/FA.  Office:  Diplomatic Reception Rooms (DRR), Office of the Curator 

About: The Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State:

The 42 Diplomatic Reception Rooms, located on the top two floors of the U.S. Department of State, are the site for many of our nation’s diplomatic meetings and events including international summits, treaty negotiations, official U.S. State Luncheons, and important presidential speeches. 

The rooms house a historic museum-quality collection of more than 5,000 fine and decorative art objects valued at more than $125 million that tell the story of our country’s founding and formative years. The fine and decorative arts collection is comprised of paintings, sculptures, prints and manuscripts, furniture, silver, glass, textiles, export porcelain and earthenware from 1730 - 1860. 

A significant portion of the collection relates to important moments in our country’s history and represents excellent examples of fine and decorative art from important artists and craftsmen. Some of the pieces in the collection include portraits of Founding Fathers by Gilbert Stuart, landscape portraits by Thomas Moran, porcelain owned by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other signers of the Declaration of Independence, and the desk upon which the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. These historic objects and artwork tell the story of our country’s history and cultural heritage, and illustrate the importance of diplomacy and civic engagement.