High School Internship

FIIDS Concludes Successful Summer Internship Certification Program on Civic Engagement & Leadership
Date: August 24, 2024
Location: United States

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) proudly announced the successful conclusion of its two-month extensive summer internship certification program on Civic Engagement & Leadership. This program, which began on 16th June, was specifically designed for high school juniors, seniors, and undergraduates, offering them a structured cohort experience to develop essential skills in event organizing, research, public policy, civic engagement, and world affairs.

A total of 46 students participated in the program, engaging with an array of critical topics including American Politics, the U.S. Lawmaking Process, U.S. Elections, Civic Engagement, Public Policy, International Relations, and World Affairs. Throughout the program, students had the unique opportunity to interact with esteemed experts, including:

Mr. Niraj Antani - Member of the Ohio State Senate
Nissim Reuben - Assistant Director of AJC's Asia Pacific Institute (API)
Jay Kansara - Director of Government Relations
Ramesh K Rao - Professor of Banking and Finance, McCombs School of Business, UT Austin
Harita Vadari - Epidemiologist and Public Health Professional

The program concluded on August 24, 2024 with a Culmination Ceremony, where Mr. Lalit Jha delivered a powerful keynote address. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of civic engagement and the role students can play in being the voice for those who cannot speak, thereby making a significant difference in their communities.

This program’s success is attributed to the dedication and hard work of several key individuals, including, Khanderao Kand - President of FIIDS, Prasad Koranne - Program Director, Devashri, Khadke and Abhinav Joshi - Curriculum Designers, Hemangi Baxi - Program Coordinator, Hemant Kurani, Shaunak Kelkar, Spandan Gandhi, Yogi Chug, and Isha Gadkari - Program Mentors.

Khanderao Kand said, "FIIDS is grateful for the support and contributions of all those involved in making this program a success. The internship provided a platform for students to not only gain practical knowledge but also to empower them to take active roles in civic life, becoming the leaders of tomorrow. We want to see our youths future be part of  in law making elected members, officials in administration as well as experts in think tanks"

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FIIDS offers an online Certificate Program in Civic Engagement and Leadership as a cohort education and internship program for high school students. This unique program blends skills development with education, providing an excellent opportunity for high school juniors, seniors, and undergraduates to develop event organizing and research skills, as well as gain awareness about public policy, civic engagement, and world affairs. Participants will learn from a wide spectrum of scholars, professors, community leaders, and political activists while working for FIIDS.


Students will learn:
* Civic Engagement
* Public Policies
* World Affairs
* The US lawmaking process 
* Researching political leadership and policies
* Experience Outreach 
* Leadership experience in Organizing virtual/in-person event
* Videos / content generation
* Web, blog and newsletter content writing
* Publishing opinion/ research blog on policy/events/world affairs