The Organization

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional association with nearly 500 member organizations across the US that help students prepare for, apply to, and succeed in their postsecondary pursuits. NCAN believes everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status – should have the opportunity to complete affordable, high-quality education after high school. We are a small, collaborative team of experienced professionals who work in a fast-paced environment and provide opportunities for team members to use their talents to their fullest extent.

The Opportunities

NCAN is seeking a part-time Communications AND Program Intern to join our team. We are looking for motivated junior or senior undergraduate students or graduate students with strong writing skills and an interest in college access/success, financial aid, and/or higher education policy and advocacy.

These internships are paid positions.

Available Positions and Responsibilities

The Communications Intern will expand and promote NCAN’s college and career readiness resources as well as other member services through multiple communications channels. General responsibilities include:

Promote NCAN content and share higher education news on social media, primarily X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Assist with planning and execution of social media campaigns.
Write blog posts and newsletter articles spotlighting NCAN content and/or external resources.
Produce short videos for social media.
Design graphics for social media, the NCAN blog, and the NCAN web site.
Assist with marketing communications for the 2024 NCAN National Conference.

The Program Intern will assist NCAN with strengthening state-level policies and practices that increase districts and schools’ focus on college and career readiness and improve students’ postsecondary outcomes. This position will work within NCAN’s strategic initiatives team to expand NCAN’s reach and impact with the education field, affect policy change, and ensure various groups of stakeholders engage meaningfully with NCAN’s content, tools, and resources. General responsibilities include:

Investigate and document effective and promising college and career readiness practices from state-level partners, NCAN members, and our broader network to disseminate via blog posts, newsletter articles, webinars, social media, and other communication channels.
Research and assist with the production of K-12-focused resources and toolkits that will connect district and school practitioners with best practices in college and career readiness.
Assist with the dissemination of key information and resources through various communications channels to influence practitioners' postsecondary advising practices.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidates have:

A commitment to and comfort in engaging issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Experience with education journalism, communications, social media, or policy (through work, volunteering, or completing first-year graduate studies).
An understanding of the education landscape affecting college application, enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes.
Strong interpersonal skills and written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines.
Ability to multitask to accommodate a wide range of tasks.
The ability to communicate complex topics simply, but accurately.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite.
Graphic design and/or video editing skills, particularly experience with Canva.

Candidates must be pursuing an undergraduate- or graduate-level degree. We will not accept applications from fall/winter 2023 graduates. This opportunity is open to all majors, as we know great candidates come from a variety of academic backgrounds. Students who are first-generation college goers, and/or students who have participated in NCAN member programs, are encouraged to apply.

Employment and Compensation

This position is for Spring 2024, ideally starting in January and ending in early June.
The internship is part-time (approximately 15-20 hours per week)
Compensation is $20/hour
Interns can be fully remote OR hybrid, coming into the DC office two times per week and working remotely the rest of the time. We will coordinate with interns to determine a fixed weekly work schedule.

How to Apply

Communications Intern candidates should submit:

A resume
A writing sample of 1,000 words or fewer (e.g., a press release, blog post, report excerpt, or class assignment). You may excerpt the best portion of a longer sample.
Two-to-three examples of your best graphic design or video work.
Two-to-three social media posts you’ve written and published for an organizational (not personal) account (e.g., nonprofit, company, school club).

Program Intern candidates should submit:

A resume
2-3 writing samples each of 1,000 words or fewer (e.g., a press release, blog post, report excerpt, or class assignment) focusing on a public/practitioner audience. You may excerpt the best portion of a longer sample.

Cover letters are not required for either position. Share links or screen shots of your samples in a single Word document and send all materials in one email to hr@ncan.org by December 15, 2023. Be sure to identify your position of interest in the subject line.

National College Attainment Network (NCAN)

New Jobs

Student Intern