COHA Research Associates, Fall 2009

Former Research Associates

For more than 30 years, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), a major tax-exempt, nonprofit and nonpartisan national research and information organization, has offered internships in Washington in the fields of U.S., Latin American and Canadian relations. These internships provide entry level practical experience in dealing with a variety of hemispheric political, economic, diplomatic and trade issues. They also provide young scholars with an excellent opportunity to be exposed to the policymaking process. COHA is seeking highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students, and those who already have earned degrees. During its existence, almost 1,000 successful candidates have interned in COHA’s Washington office.

COHA internships, which are available throughout the year, are entirely voluntary and are awarded on a highly competitive basis (with summer positions being the most sought after). Schedules for the 18-week internships (14 weeks for summer internships) can be arranged to meet the individual’s needs, although full-time and full-term applicants are usually given preference in the selection process. When contracting for its professional staff, COHA always limits its search to its former and current personnel who have served distinguished internships. COHA’s activities (in which interns play an integral role), include: issuing statements and providing commentary to the print and electronic media; submitting articles for publication under the intern-author’s by-line on hemispheric issues to regional and national media; monitoring human rights and press freedom violations, promoting constructive U.S. policy initiatives and activities throughout the hemisphere and formulating viable alternatives that seek a diplomatic rather than a military solution to disputes; attending briefings by visiting Latin American dignitaries and other regional events; and surveying legislation which affects the area, and promotes, rather than detracts from, the goals of social justice and the expansion of authentic democratic institutions.

Qualifications

Intern candidates should have some knowledge and/or interest in U.S.-Latin American affairs or international relations, and should display impressive research and writing skills. Language ability in Spanish or Portuguese is desired, although a track record in journalism, English or one of the social sciences may be substituted for the normal background requirements. Candidates who lack these qualifications are at times selected if they exhibit proven research and writing skills. Ideal internship candidates should be highly motivated and, under the guidance of the staff, will be expected to show initiative and a capacity for innovation in an office renowned for its productivity. Interns (or “research associates”, as they are officially designated) quickly become fully integrated into COHA’s research activities and also select modest administrative tasks that they are expected to fulfill along with their research and writing assignments.

Environs

COHA’s downtown Washington office, located in the prestigious Dupont Circle area, is fast-paced and highly professional, yet is informal and congenial. Part of an intern’s responsibility is to help keep the office and their work areas neat. Interns pursue research topics of their and the organization’s interest. Former interns have had their by-lined work published in various COHA publications and in the Congressional Record, as well as in the opinion pages of newspapers across the world including the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, Atlanta Constitution, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, Oakland Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Times and scores of other dailies (see our online cite pages for examples). COHA internships are highly respected by the Washington policymaking community for their rigor and the valuable learning experience they provide, with former COHA interns gaining prominent positions in journalism, the Foreign Service, congressional offices as well as being admitted to some of the most prestigious professional schools in the country.

Some of the many functions in which COHA research associates will participate are as follows: conduct research and write articles for COHA’s highly regarded biweekly publication, the Washington Report on the Hemisphere (WRH), to which college and university libraries throughout the world subscribe, as well as take turns drafting its irregular “News and Analysis” series of press memorandums; compose signed Opinion-Editorials and letters to the editor for publication in major national and international media and maintain liaison with such media, as well as make research inquiries to legislative and executive agency offices; attend meetings, Congressional hearings, legislative seminars and substantive discussions on topics relevant to COHA’s work; perform telephone and personal interviews with Washington officials concerned with hemispheric affairs; and assist in the production and distribution of the WRH, press releases, monographs and promotional mailings. In addition, COHA research associates will be expected to assist in office administration including such activities as: producing financial reports, maintenance and fulfillment of subscription lists, clipping newspapers, sorting and filing resource information, supervising promotional mailings, servicing mail and telephone inquiries, as well as various other supply and maintenance functions. In general, an intern can expect to have two-thirds of his/her time devoted to research/writing activities and less than one-third to administrative functions. COHA encourages applications from candidates with high computer literacy.