ACTR is happy to announce a new opportunity for college students who seek to sharpen their professional and administrative skills at our annual summer internship program. Although this is an unpaid internship, we strongly encourage future applicants to seek out financial support from their respective colleges or external sources (see a list of potential funding opportunities on the right).
For external internship funding: 8 weeks and 240 hours - 30 hrs/week for 8 weeks or 20 hours a week for 12 weeks
For more details about the internship and to learn how ACTR will support the intern through mentorship, professional development, and/or other opportunities of growth, please check here.
The Selection Process Solicitation of application: January 15 - February 20 Application submission deadline (a resume and an application form): February 20 Review of application and notification of the first pool of candidates: by February 23 Finalist interviews: February 25-27 | Unpaid Internship Funding Sources |
Description of the 2026 Internship
The 2026 Summer ACTR intern(s) will support the ACTR Board of Directors by working directly with the several ACTR Committees. All interns will present the finished projects and reports at the ACTR Board meeting in September 2026.
The Advocacy Committee: work closely with the Advocacy Committee on a range of projects supporting ACTR’s outreach, advocacy, and digital presence. Responsibilities will include assisting with ACTR website and YouTube channel upkeep, contributing to the creation and maintenance of ACTR webpages, and supporting other materials and organization-wide data collection efforts. In collaboration with the Advocacy Committee, the intern will help develop promotional materials, including flyers and short promotional videos featuring interviews with professionals discussing their Russian education pathways and career trajectories. Through this work, the intern will develop research, digital media, and content-creation skills while expanding their professional network within Russian language, education, and related fields.
The Olympiada of Spoken Russian Committee: improve the Olympiada website structure, organize and upload materials, create promotional content, and strengthen communication with regional coordinators. The intern will help expand outreach to heritage Russian programs and enhance the visibility of the Olympiada through social media and promotional materials.
Social Media Sub-Committee: Create and implement coordinated social media campaigns using materials provided by the Advocacy Committee and other committees, including updates, features, news items, and testimonials. This work will involve producing short, engaging video and multimedia content using Camtasia and adapting materials for different ACTR platforms. Continue transferring video recordings of ACTR professional development events to the ACTR YouTube channel. This includes creating and organizing new content on social media to improve accessibility and visibility.
Amelia “Mia” Kowalczyk, a junior at Pennsylvania State University majoring in Criminology with a Russian minor, took detailed notes on previous interviews conducted by Katrina and reviewed the ACTR Roundtable Study Abroad webinar, created video outlines for future promotional materials, and prepared thoughtful interview questions. Mia completed seven alumni interviews about their study abroad experiences and how they applied Russian in their careers, as well as interviews with heritage Russian speakers from different Russian-speaking countries. Beyond conducting interviews, she created Canva templates for promotional flyers and developed materials to promote Fall 2025 college and university courses. Hear from Mia: |
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Morgan Emery, a University of Pennsylvania student (class of 2026) triple-majoring in Russian and East European Studies, Cinema & Media Studies, and English, brought both technical expertise and a personal connection to the work. Morgan worked with the Advocacy Subcommittee to edit videos for the ACTR YouTube channel, developed social media videos from alumni interviews, and collaborated with Mia on creating promotional flyers. He also worked closely with the ACTR President, Olga Klimova, and the ACTR webmaster to edit recordings from ACTR's 50th anniversary conference, ensuring these valuable resources reached a wider audience. Hear from Morgan: |
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Meet the 2024 Summer Intern |
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Hear from Katrina, the ACTR 2024 Intern: