The Billie Jean King Leadership Internship is a professional experience conducted by the Women’s Sports Foundation that provides young women the opportunity to gain critical knowledge and skills that prepare them to be valuable contributors to a brighter future for girls and women in sports. Annually, one woman from the United States or abroad who is a college graduate will receive a six-month scholarship that covers transportation, housing and a monthly stipend to cover other living expenses.
Objectives of the Billie Jean King Leadership Internship
• To provide sports management students with a broad exposure to the sports industry in general and, more specifically, to issues, opportunities and programming related to women’s sports and physical activity;
• To provide a professional work experience to college students interested in pursuing sport-related careers;
• To provide interns with access to valuable future employer contacts and assistance in determining personal career goals; and,
• To provide the Foundation, an internationally recognized 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization, with talented, ambitious and knowledgeable individuals to assist in the implementation of our advocacy, communications, development, education and grant programs.
Intern Responsibilities
The Billie Jean King Internship position is a six-month, full-time commitment (June-December 2009). Interns attend weekly professional development seminars, external business meetings, all regular staff meetings, and often represent the Foundation at events. The most important part of the experience is their department-specific project work. These projects vary depending on the department, but typical projects include creating and implementing events, writing and editing for Foundation publications, researching and creating position papers, and running grant and award programs. Interns meet weekly with their staff supervisors, and progress is formally evaluated in the middle and at the end of the internship in face-to-face meetings and with written reports. Written follow-up reports six months and one year after the completion of the internship are made to the Foundation. Interns are also invited to make a return trip to the Foundation to share their experiences with the current class of interns. There is a potential to establish a formal relationship with leagues (e.g. WTT, WNBA) to provide further professional opportunities following the internship.
The position will be located at the national headquarters in Long Island or the Public Policy Office in Bethesda, Md.