Are you, or do you know of, a student interested in the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of our nation’s diverse historic resources? The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) in Washington, D.C. has internship opportunities available for undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates, and, in some cases, for individuals at an early stage of their career and professional development.
A small, independent federal agency, the ACHP oversees the historic preservation review process for federal projects and manages a variety of preservation programs dealing with national preservation policy and legislation, promoting public appreciation of cultural heritage, Indigenous peoples' interests, climate change and sustainability, reusing historic building stock for contemporary needs, building a more inclusive preservation program, workforce development, and youth engagement.
Candidates should have an interest in historic preservation and may come from a wide variety of disciplines, such as history, architectural history, archaeology, planning, law, cultural resource management, architectural design, education, communications, or library science. Selected interns complete projects contributing to or broadening awareness of the work of the ACHP and our historic preservation partners nationwide. Specific assignments are developed based on current agency priorities and the skills and interests of selected interns. Interns become familiar with the full range of work of the agency through orientation and training, and by participating in meetings to observe the development and implementation of federal historic preservation policy. They may also participate in programs with others interning at related agencies and organizations, and the ACHP will assist interns with networking and advice.
ACHP offers two types of full or part-time internships. Chair's Internships are supervised by ACHP Chair Sara Bronin while Program Internships are supervised by ACHP professional staff. Internships may be virtual, on-site in our Washington, D.C. offices, or a hybrid arrangement. Hourly expectations are flexible, as long as the total number of hours allows interns to satisfy any requirements of their programs. All interns can receive academic credit if they meet the requirements of their programs.
For the fall 2024 semester, the ACHP cannot provide funding. Therefore, fall internships will only be open to current students who will receive financial support for the internship from their academic institution or another source. Also eligible are current students seeking course credit as part of an academic program (e.g., a Semester in DC program) in which they cannot be paid.
Internships are offered each summer and often for the fall or spring semester. Opportunities to apply are posted below when they are open for application. We encourage applications from students at minority-serving institutions.
Questions? Contact the Internship Program Coordinator at internships@achp.gov.