USO of Metropolitan Washington

Interns are being accepted in the following programs Community Outreach (Ft. Belvoir, VA); Mobile USO Operations (Ft. Myer, VA); Hospital Services (Ft. Myer, VA/Bethesda, MD and DC); and Administrative Services (Ft. Myer, VA). Communications and Special Events (Ft. Myer, VA) internships have been filled for Summer 2010. Spring  communications interns are still being accepted.

 Students Will:

• Be mentored by experienced communications, marketing, events and social service program professionals.
• Participate in the planning, organizing, and scheduling of quality programs, events and activities that support the military and their families in Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
• Learn to build and maintain a favorable brand/public image for USO-Metro, practice event planning and implementation, and develop marketing and communication's strategies that will promote the USO and its programs, services and activities in the military, business and civilian sectors.
• Learn and practice the principals of volunteer recruitment, coordination, scheduling and management.

 Responsibilities:

• Interfaces with the military and civilian populations in coordination of event logistics.
• Schedules and supervises volunteers in the delivery and execution of program activities.
• Tracks program participation statistics.
• Contributes to the preparation of promotional pieces, and information packets for various programs, events and activities.
• Sends invitations to events and programs when appropriate and tracks RSVPs in organized fashion.
• Assist in the execution of events from start to finish.
• Maintain inventories of supplies and replenishes as needed, returning supplies to storage when not in use.
• Assists in event set up (i.e. event tables, marketing materials, and aesthetics), some food preparation, serving military personnel and their families during events and filling out all pre/post event paperwork to include event request form and report.
• In an effort to give interns the best possible experience, we strive to tailor interns' responsibilities to their interests. However, all interns should be prepared to help as needed with projects that deviate from their main area of interest.

Our internships are the perfect opportunity for students interested in marketing, public relations, event planning or communications. Desirable skills include:

• Excellent writing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
• Polished and professional organizational and interpersonal skills and an ability to work in a team environment.
• Detail oriented, flexible and self motivated individuals who respond well in hectic situations.
• Ability to interact with diverse groups including senior corporate leaders and Department of Defense and military officials.
• Ability to creatively respond to unplanned events; flexibility and willingness to work on various projects as needed.
• Demonstrated proficiency in various computer software programs including Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of the military and understanding their needs a distinct advantage.
• Must have valid drivers license and clear driving record.
• Programs take place on weekends, evenings and holidays as needed.
• Ability to lift/move up to 50 pounds and stand for 8-10 hours a day.

Qualifications:

The Internship Program is for students who will be juniors or seniors at an accredited U.S. college or university. To be eligible, candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Internships last a minimum of eight weeks (20 hours per week) and students are welcome to begin at any time. Student must have own transportation as we are not Metro accessible at our facilities.

 Academic Credit:

Internships with USO-Metro are unpaid; however, students may apply the internship toward an academic requirement or course credit if permitted by their university or college.  USO-Metro does not determine the amount of credit a student should receive for the internship, but leaves this decision to the student's college or university.

About USO-Metro:

USO-Metro provides morale and recreation type services to more than 500,000 military members and their families in the Washington/Baltimore region. Currently USO-Metro programs are carried out at four airport assistance centers (Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and Andrews AFB), six troop and family service centers on military installations (Ft. Myer, Ft. Belvoir, and Quantico in Virginia; Ft. Meade and Indian Head in Maryland; and Bellevue Navy Housing in DC), through a Mobile USO which travels the region and at Walter Reed and Bethesda Hospitals.  A myriad of human service programs are also provided to all service members, with a focus on young enlisted families (emergency housing, food assistance, job fairs, etc.) Throughout the year hundreds of special events are planned and executed with the intent of elevating morale, building a sense of community and helping to ease the burdens of a transient military lifestyle. For more information about the USO of Metropolitan Washington, Inc., please visit www.usometro.org.

To Apply:

If interested, please send a resume, cover letter and 2 writing samples to hr@usometro.org.  Please indicate whether you will be seeking course credit.  To apply for positions worldwide, visit www.uso.org.