TFAS is excited to welcome nearly 300 students back to Washington for an in-person experience in our D.C. Academic Internship Programs this summer!

As we have done for more than 50 years, TFAS will place students in internships at the nation’s leading think tanks, nonprofits, law firms and government offices while they simultaneously take upper-level economics courses with world-class TFAS faculty.

The intensive and comprehensive eight-week program combines academic courses for credit, internships, housing, site briefings, guest lectures, a professional development series and a one-on-one mentorship program.

Student cohorts are divided into a variety of program tracks based on their interests in public policy, international affairs, business and government relations, journalism and communications or executive leadership. During the 2021 application and enrollment process, students also had the opportunity to choose their preferred program format. The majority of enrolled students will live, learn and intern in the nation’s capital, with a small cohort participating in a fully online option where we’ll bring the best of D.C. and TFAS to those unable to travel to Washington.

Although the summer will look different than usual, we are thrilled to announce that the majority of events will be offered in person. Students will have direct access to guest lectures by top policy experts, career exploration panels and small group discussions with leaders in Washington.

TFAS will welcome high profile speakers including Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley; New York Times best-selling author Amity Shlaes; TFAS alumni congressmen Rep. David Rouzer ’93, ’94 of North Carolina and Rep. David Kustoff ’89 of Tennessee and many more.

Students will be in person on GMU’s Arlington Campus for classes every day of the week. TFAS will take advantage of large lecture halls to socially distance and follow university guidelines.

All TFAS courses are specially designed with a focus on active learning, including interactive discussion sessions, an “Economics Bootcamp,” and opportunities for one-on-one meetings with professors during weekly office hours.

We will also supplement our usual cultural and community activities with a line-up of exciting outdoor events, taking advantage of the numerous tours available in the nation’s capital, including walking tours of the National Mall, exploring the grounds of Lincoln’s Cottage, a visit to Mount Vernon and more. Some larger events will still be fully online, such as site briefings with key government leaders, alumni networking events and professional development seminars.

TFAS is committed to continuing to provide engaging opportunities for academic and professional growth to our students. To learn more about the summer and how you can get involved, please find more information below or visit DCinternships.org/summer-2021.

Host an Intern

If you are in the D.C. area, we hope you will consider hosting a TFAS student for a internship this summer. Our students are bright and motivated undergraduates ready to learn and help your organizations succeed as they develop essential real-world skills.

We are looking for positions that involve research, writing and other projects that students can work on for 20+ hours a week. Can you or any of your contacts help? If so, please fill out our intern request form here or email Joe Starrs at jstarrs@TFAS.org.

Intern Request Form 

Volunteer and Mentor

We are seeking D.C.-area professionals to volunteer as mentors for the 2021 class. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, please visit our website to learn more. All TFAS D.C. program alumni or working professionals with at least two years of experience are encouraged to sign up to become a mentor by May 10, 2021.

Additionally, we have a number of other ways to volunteer with our students both virtually and in person this summer! If you are interested in connecting with TFAS students during our 2021 program, we would love to hear from you. Please fill out this survey to indicate your interest.

Filling out the form does not commit you to volunteering, it simply alerts us to your interest. A TFAS staff member will follow up to discuss the specifics about the opportunities you have indicated interest in as the summer approaches.

Volunteer Interest Survey