What are the responsibilities and job description for the 2025 Summer Internship position at FIRE?
FIRE offers a ten-week, paid summer internship as part of our efforts to educate students about their rights at colleges and universities. This internship gives current undergraduates the opportunity to assist FIRE in defending civil liberties on campuses across the country.FIRE interns do substantive work and participate in weekly seminars with FIRE staff and other experts on freedom of expression, due process, and much more. Interns will work at FIRE’s downtown Philadelphia office. The 2025 program will run from June 2–August 8 and interns will receive a stipend of $5,250. The internship application process opens on November 5 and will close on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (ET).
Qualifications and Responsibilities
FIRE is looking for passionate and motivated undergraduates (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) attending colleges and universities in the United States who are looking to engage in free speech activism on campus. Ideal candidates are responsible, focused, and organized; have a passion for civil liberties; and have a history of taking action in support of causes they believe in. All interns are expected to demonstrate excellent research, writing, and communication skills. The ability to work under pressure and a sense of humor are also important.
FIRE interns:
- Work closely with our outreach, defense, policy reform, legislation, development, and media teams to assist with research and administrative projects.
- Assist with the planning and execution of the FIRE Student Network Summer Conference. The FIRE interns will also lead an hour-long session for conference attendees.
- Assist with planning the Free Speech Forum, FIRE's immersive week-long summer camp for high school students.
- Contribute to FIRE’s Newsdesk.
- Learn the foundational arguments for protecting core rights in our free society through reading and discussion in weekly seminars with FIRE’s staff and other experts on civil liberties.
- Develop activism plans for ensuring open discourse on campus.
