The Orthodox Christian Studies Center in collaboration with the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) will be accepting applications for the Summer 2024 application cycle for the OCSC Summer Internship Program.

The OCSC Summer Internship Program is a first of its kind summer internship program at Fordham University where one undergraduate student will be selected to intern for the summer at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on the Upper East Side. The intern will work in the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations of the GOA and support the various missions of the Ecumenical Department. The OCSC Summer Internship Program will provide students with the opportunity to gain first hand experience in how the Orthodox Church is engaging with the world for the life of the world within a highly professional ecclesiastical environment.

The intern will be involved in a variety of assignments and projects on a wide range of issues and topics of relevance for the Church including, but not limited to, Orthodox unity in America, ecumenical dialogue/solidarity, interfaith collaboration, creation care, religious freedom advocacy, racial reconciliation, and UN advocacy.

The intern will be expected to work full-time for 7 weeks and will receive a $3,000 stipend for food and transportation costs. Start and end dates for the internship will be determined following acceptance into the program. A complete list of requirements and intern responsibilities are attached below. Note that this internship is open to all Fordham undergraduate students regardless of faith background.

Applicants must submit a one-page resume and cover letter expressing their interest and how the applicant might contribute to upholding and furthering the missions and projects of the Ecumenical Department. Applications should be submitted to Rev. Nicolas Kazarian, Ph.D ([email protected]) by Friday, April 19th, 2024.

Applicants should expect a response regarding their application in early May. Please visit the Ecumenical Department website for more information about the mission and work of the department.

Requirements:

1. Must be a current First-Year, Sophomore, or Junior.

2. Able to work in-person full time for 7 weeks of the summer of 2024.

3. Interested in Orthodox Christianity, ecumenical relations, interfaith collaboration, creation care (environmental advocacy), religious freedom advocacy, UN advocacy, racial reconciliation, and/or other Church-Society issues.

a. Majors who should consider applying: International Studies, Political Science, Theology, Environmental Studies, American Studies, History, Humanitarian Studies, Medieval Studies, Middle East Studies.

b. Orthodox Christian Studies minors should highly consider applying.

4. Fluent in English (verbal and written), knowledge of Greek not required.

5. Excellent organizational and communication skills.

6. Proficient in writing, able to adapt to various stylistical, rhetorical, and formal expectations in writing.

7. Prioritization of assignments and able to multitask.

8. Able to work as a self-starter and a team member depending on the project.

9. Willing to provide new insights/recommendations to projects and issues of concern.

10. Basic-Intermediate proficiency in word and data processing (Microsoft).

11. Basic-Intermediate proficiency in graphic design (Canva).

12. Basic-Intermediate proficiency with social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter).

 

Beneficial, but not required knowledge:

1. Basic knowledge of Orthodox Christian theology

2. Basic knowledge of the Orthodox Church’s structure

 

Possible Responsibilities:

1. Draft correspondence and other documents for the Ecumenical Department.

2. Execute research for the Ecumenical Department on various topics of interest and draft reports/briefs to inform Archdiocese leaders.

3. Support expansion of various initiatives of the Ecumenical Department (e.g. creation care, racial reconciliation etc.) by envisioning alterations to current projects and/or proposing new projects.

4. Create posts for the Ecumenical Department’s social media accounts through Canva.

5. Assist in event planning and execution.

6. Perform general administrative and filing duties.

 

Read about the Ecumenical Department's first intern here.