Applications are open for summer 2025! Apply by December 1, 2024.
Interested in international trade and agriculture? Apply to intern in the heart of the trade policy community in Washington, D.C. at the Washington International Trade Association (WITA).
Through a Yeutter Institute partnership, University of Nebraska-Lincoln students have the opportunity to intern at WITA full-time in the summer and receive a stipend to support living costs supported by the Nebraska Farm Bureau. Students must apply and interview through the Yeutter Institute for selection.
WITA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and related issues. WITA is widely considered Washington’s premier trade forum, and the central hub of a community of trade professionals in the United States and around the world.
nolan johnson
Summer 2023 Intern
Economics and political science double-Major
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
“Interning at WITA gave me a great look at the many different sides of trade and trade policy. WITA’s collaboration and connections with such a wide range of industries, both in the public and private sectors, means they can help you move your career forward in whatever direction you want to go. I am grateful that I was able to work and learn up close with such a tight-knit staff and take advantage of the network that WITA has cultivated over the years. Skills such as attention to detail and concise communication were definitely strengthened here and will stay relevant throughout my career. This internship has solidified my interest in the trade field.”
What to Expect
- Work under the mentorship of WITA’s CEO and managing director and gain valuable exposure to and experience with trade policy issues and trade leaders in business, agriculture, law, academia, non-governmental organizations, embassies, and the U.S. Government.
- Gain practice in thinking through the factors important to planning trade policy events, from researching issues to thinking about the needs of the audience.
- Complete a research project on an agricultural trade topic determined in conjunction with the Yeutter Institute and WITA, due upon completion of the internship (required).
- As the Nelson/Yeutter award recipient, play a lead role in helping WITA integrate agricultural trade issues into the new WITA Academy.
Post-Internship Requirement
Following completion of the internship, the intern will be required to use skills gained to plan a Yeutter Institute educational event for students and the public on an agricultural trade policy issue important to Nebraska, with assistance from the Yeutter Institute director and assistant director. The event will take place at the university.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Answering phones, filing, sorting mail, making deposits, etc. as office needs dictate.
- Planning, preparation and participation in WITA events and programs.
- Maintaining the WITA web page and the membership database on a daily basis.
- Following current trade events and updating over 16000 trade professionals through the America’s Trade Policy web page.
- Having an integrated role with the Young Trade Professionals organization.
- Helping produce/design flyers and promotional materials.
- Assisting in the organization of WITA's Annual Awards Dinner.
- Research agricultural trade issues to help expand the new WITA Academy into the agricultural sector.
Interns are expected to play an active role in shaping their internship. Interns are encouraged to identify networking and professional development opportunities that they would like to participate in over the course of the summer, as well as identify tasks and projects that suit their strengths and interests and contribute to WITA’s operations and development.
This internship is distinct from other internships offered by WITA, however you can read about past intern experiences at The WITA Internship Experience. Students may work with their academic advisor to receive credit for the internship.
Stipend and Timeline
This internship stipend is provided by the Steve Nelson Yeutter Institute International Trade Internship Award, which awards $10,000 annually for a student to intern full-time in the summer at WITA. This stipend can be applied towards travel, living and other expenses while interning in Washington. The award was established in 2021 by the Nebraska Farm Bureau to honor longtime president Steve Nelson, an advocate for opening international markets for Nebraska's farmers and ranchers. In addition, WITA provides a $1,000 stipend.
Summer interns must start by June 1st, with a preference for a mid to late May start, for a 10-week program.
Eligibility and Qualifications
- Must be a University of Nebraska-Lincoln undergraduate, sophomore or above (enrolled in at least their third semester at the university and have earned at least sophomore standing in credit hours at the time of application)
- Must have at least one semester of study left following the summer internship
- Able to demonstrate a clear interest in agriculture and international trade policy through relevant coursework and/or prior experiences
- Self-starter who is motivated to shape the internship program and seek out networking and professional development opportunities
- Proven oral and written communication skills
- Excellent computer skills
TO APPLY
Serious applicants should submit a cover letter and resume by 11:59 p.m. December 1, 2024 to yeutterinstitute@unl.edu with the subject Nelson/Yeutter Trade Internship Application. Students may also apply via Handshake. Cover letters should address:
- Three main things that you hope to accomplish or learn during your internship
- Your interest in agriculture and international trade policy
- Your dates of availability