Meridian International Center’s Fellowship Program exposes rising students and professionals to public diplomacy, international relations, exchanges, cultural and corporate diplomacy, and more.
Fellows develop the professional experience that will allow them to explore the fields of diplomacy and international affairs by gaining an overview of the operations of a nonprofit public diplomacy center. The fellowship includes professional development activities, including mentorship, training and education sessions, lunches with senior leadership, and an opportunity to create a capstone project that can be used as part of a professional portfolio.
All Fellows will be paid the Washington, D.C. minimum wage. In addition, all Fellows working in person will be eligible for a $75 per month Metro SmartBenefits contribution.
The Meridian Fellowship Program is located in Washington D.C., and Meridian requires MD, DC, or VA residence for all employees. Fellows must have current authorization to work in the United States. Meridian does not sponsor work visas. The position may work partially remotely until further notice.
The application periods are:
Qualified applicants may apply here. Note that applications will only appear during the open application period for each cohort.
The Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy (MCCD) organizes, presents, and circulates a variety of high-profile, international exhibitions each year, sending these to museums, embassies, and cultural institutions around the United States and the world. MCCD also organizes and implements cultural exchanges for the U.S. Department of State and for foreign governments. While MCCD is small, its responsibilities are vast, presenting many learning opportunities for Fellows through active collaboration with staff members.
Leveraging 60 years of deep relationships with the diplomatic community, the Meridian Center for Diplomatic Engagement convenes programs across borders, parties and industries enabling participants to connect in intimate settings with top officials and policy-makers, dive deeply into issues, understand how Washington works and strengthen peer-to-peer relationships. It is a hub for policy symposia, panel discussions, fireside chats with senior Administration officials and Members of Congress, salon dinners and workshops.
The International Visitors Leadership Program Fellow will provide logistical support to facilitate the program, create and assemble welcome materials, and work on a variety of long-term and independent projects. In addition to supporting the programmatic work of the IVLP team, the Fellow will also attend and assist in the implementation of program meetings allowing for the observation of exchange, engagement, and networking between international visitors and resources.
Meridian’s Customized Exchanges Division (CE) implements customized short-term study tours targeted at building the capacity of participants in a specific subject area, e.g., U.S. Science Envoys Program, Global Emerging Leaders in International Cyberspace Security (GEL-ICS) Fellowship, U.S Speakers and Specialist Program(s), and U.S. Trade and Development Agency Reverse Trade Missions. The Fellow will gain experience with administering logistical arrangements and briefing documents, supporting virtual production of events on Zoom and other platforms, and supporting research topics on program design.
The Meridian Corporate Relations Fellow team supports the management and engagement of the Meridian Corporate Council. The Meridian Corporate Council provides a platform for exchange, dialogue and networking on key global issues among diplomatic, public, private and non-profit sector leaders. Through this exchange, members are better equipped to navigate critical challenges and opportunities in a complex international environment. Drawn from wide-ranging sectors, member companies and organizations represent major corporations that are leaders in corporate social responsibility and international initiatives.
The Fellow will provide logistical support for Meridian Corporate Council events, and assemble materials for events, create briefing memos for upcoming donor meetings, support our team in prospecting potential donors, as well as support on drafting communications, newsletters, blogs, and other written tasks as needed by the team.
Meridian’s Communications Team is responsible for increasing the organization’s brand and visibility as Washington, DC’s premier diplomacy institution that strengthens engagement between the United States and the world by connecting leaders through culture and collaboration to drive solutions for global challenges. The Communications Team harnesses virtual, digital and traditional media tools to develop integrated marketing strategies that spotlight Meridian’s international delegations, global leadership programs, mission-driven events and cultural initiatives.
The Global Communications & Journalism Fellow will help support Meridian’s initiatives by producing creative written and multimedia content optimized for engagement across social, digital and print platforms. The fellow can expect to gain experience in content marketing and branding, social media campaigns, data analytics, graphic design, video and photo production, database management, event production, non-profit management, fundraising as well as business development.
Qualified candidates should apply through Meridian’s online application system. All candidates must provide a resume (one page preferred) and a cover letter that addresses the following:
Only candidates being considered for a position will be contacted. NO PHONE CALLS or EMAILS in reference to this position will be accepted.
Meridian is committed to empowering global leaders and amplifying voices of a wide variety of backgrounds to create pathways for greater understanding, shared value and respect for all cultures as connecting people has been our foundation for over 60 years. If you share our values and enthusiasm to promote non-partisan collaboration to address global challenges and opportunities, you can find a home at Meridian.
As an equal opportunity employer, Meridian promotes equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, personal appearance, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, family responsibilities, marital, veteran or military status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity will be offered and maintained to all persons at every stage and condition of employment, including recruiting, hiring, training, upgrading, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.
