Junior Fellowship - John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI)

About the Position:

The McCain Institute at Arizona State University offers part-time junior fellowship opportunities for college students and recent graduates in Washington, DC. Participants in our Junior Fellowship program are eligible for academic credit and receive a stipend for their time at the McCain Institute.

The John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI) is seeking a Junior Fellow to assist with administration, research, and program coordination. The Junior Fellow will provide across-the-board assistance to the FPPI, including event planning, administrative support, research, advocacy, and writing. This is a great opportunity for undergraduate students, graduate students, or recent graduates considering a career in combatting arbitrary detention, human rights, democracy assistance, or government.

The FPPI provides vital support to Americans and green card holders who are held overseas as political prisoners or hostages, as well as dissidents, political prisoners, and hostages from other nations who are held around the world by repressive regimes. Inspired by Senator John McCain, a vocal and passionate advocate for those wrongfully held for fighting against tyranny, and his experience as a prisoner of war for over five years, FPPI will provide critical support to individual prisoners and their families. This includes outreach to key decision-makers at the highest level of the U.S. government, direct assistance from expert practitioners, strategic communications to galvanize ongoing support for the release of prisoners, and post-return support to help individuals reacclimate after their detainment. 

Junior Fellows at the McCain Institute make a direct impact on program development and execution and are offered opportunities to work collaboratively across the organization alongside all levels of staff. Participation in the McCain Institute Junior Fellowship Program places students in the heart of the nation’s capital, giving them access to some of the top foreign policy leaders and allowing them to gain hands-on experience in program development and management while developing a professional skill set that will enable their future professional success.

Professional and career development are central components to the Institute’s Junior Fellowship program, which includes networking opportunities, educational brown bag sessions with members of senior staff, as well as resume and cover letter review sessions.

General Responsibilities:

• Conduct research on political prisoners and hostage-taking around the world;
• Assist with advocacy for the FPPI’s named political prisoner/hostage cases in China, Hong Kong, Russia, Iran, and Georgia (and others, as needed); 
• Author memos, press releases, website language, other publications as needed & provide proofreading, revision, and editing assistance; 
• Attend meetings and events and provide written summaries;
• Support event planning and day-of execution;
• Draft social media content; 
• Track pertinent media developments; 
• Perform other tasks as required.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Strong writing and research skills 
• Ability to conduct oneself professionally and demonstrate empathy in meetings with family or friends of detainees, former detainees, and others directly impacted 
• Ability to securely manage sensitive information; awareness of basic cybersecurity practices 
• Second language proficiency (any level) is welcome, but not required: in particular, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Georgian, Farsi

We do not require that applicants have previous professional experience in the democracy/human rights/foreign policy fields—you need to start somewhere! However, we will assess your resume and cover letter for a clear desire to learn more and engage with these topics (to the extent possible as a student or recent graduate).

Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.