Investing in Belonging: Making Internships Inclusive and Impactful

Internships are an important bridge into many careers. Often thought of as stepping stones—short-term assignments meant to build skills and open doors into specific fields—internships also serve as sort of a trial period, during which employee and employer judge whether they are a good match. And so for many interns—especially those from marginalized backgrounds—the internship experience shapes not only their professional development, but also their sense of belonging, confidence, and future direction. An intern who decides they don’t really fit in at work is less likely to pursue future employment in that field. In this way, internships meant to be open bridges can instead be closed gates.

One particular sector that could benefit from ensuring its internships are bridges open to all is that of think tanks. The staff of think tanks—especially their leadership—is not representative of the broader society nationwide. For example, looking at organizations identified as the top twenty U.S. think tanks as ranked by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, 80 percent of their current leaders are male and 85 percent are white. 

How can internship experiences be a pathway for these organizations to retain talent from all backgrounds?

To answer this question, I researched leadership and diversity at U.S. think tanks and then interviewed four interns from marginalized communities currently working at think tanks; marginalized, in this case, meaning individuals who identify as BIPOC, women and others with marginalized gender identities (for example, nonbinary, gender-queer), people who identify as LGBTQ+, people from low-income backgrounds, and people with disabilities. In the interviews, I asked each a set of questions, along with varying follow-up questions catered to each answer given. The interns, who were working at three left-leaning think tanks, spoke about their perspectives on what made them feel included, supported, and valued, and what barriers they faced along the way at their organizations.

Being inclusive requires more than hiring a diverse intern cohort—it’s also about how organizations treat interns once they arrive. From providing mentorship and flexibility to community-building and career pipelines, small initiatives can have a big impact. This commentary—which builds on previous Next100 work, such as the How to Build a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Effective Policy Sector toolkit—outlines seven key recommendations that grew out of my conversations with think tank interns, aimed at helping organizations not only attract talent from marginalized communities, but also retain and empower it.

1. Provide flexibility.

A key aspect that many of the interns appreciated was the flexibility their organizations provided them. One interviewee gave insight into how their organization allowed them to work remotely, which was important to them—they appreciated being able to do their internship while still being home with their family. Flexibility could take many forms, such as adjustable schedules, hybrid options, and understanding around deadlines, all of which made the internship more accessible and sustainable. In some cases, marginalized interns—especially those who come from low-income or first-generation households—may need to balance their internships with other responsibilities, such as additional part-time jobs for family income, family caregiving duties, or other financial and family obligations. When an organization demonstrates a willingness to accommodate these needs, it sends a message that the organization values the intern’s presence and potential, not just their labor.

2. Cultivate a sense of belonging.

It’s important that interns feel that they belong in the organization where they work. Instead of treating interns as short-term, temporary task completers, supervisors and coworkers should try as much as possible to treat them as employees that are valued by the organization for who they are, not just what they do. The interns interviewed said they went into their experiences feeling that, as an intern, coworkers would be less likely to take them seriously or genuinely care about their personal lives, experiences, and histories. In interviews, when asked what kinds of experiences made them feel included or excluded, the most common answer that interns gave was that they felt included in the organization when other employees take interest in their lives and strike up a conversation with them. It’s clear that initiating conversations with interns goes a long way, and even paves a path for interns to feel more comfortable initiating their own conversations later on; for instance, supervisors who set aside time for weekly check-ins or who intentionally invite interns to share their thoughts in meetings signal that dialogue is welcome, making it easier for interns to reach out on their own.

3. Provide intentional mentorship.

Every intern I interviewed received some sort of mentorship, whether it was through their supervisors or through others assigned to them from inside or outside the organization. While all the interns expressed appreciation for their assigned supervisors and/or mentors, this satisfaction was greatly increased by a shared sense of identity. Many emphasized that having someone they could relate to made a significant difference in their confidence and sense of belonging, and that they weren’t sure how they would have navigated the experience without that connection. While the interns valued being in diverse environments generally, when it came to the person they relied on for guidance, they placed high value on shared identity or background. For example, one interviewee noted that while their mentor wasn’t queer like them, he was Jewish, which was also an identity they shared, creating a meaningful bond between them. They also mentioned that while participation by individual mentors is voluntary, it would be helpful to have the option for an intern to request a mentor from a specified, similar background, if possible. Even if a perfect match isn’t available, offering the choice demonstrates a commitment to inclusive support and can overall make the mentorship experience better for interns.

4. Create opportunities to connect with peers and alumni.

Retaining talent from a diverse pool of junior employees such as interns requires keeping them engaged with the organization and its broader community throughout their employment arc. One way to do this is through engaging and connecting them with the organization’s other interns and intern alumni. Multiple interviewees mentioned that they felt they had no real connection or opportunities to connect with other current interns within their organization, especially if they worked remotely, or if their organization had offices in multiple locations. One interviewee mentioned that they had challenges being the youngest person in their office and would have appreciated more opportunities to connect with other interns of their age group. Connecting with former staff and interns of the organization was frequently mentioned during interviews, whether it was actually getting to connect with alumni, wanting more opportunities to connect with alumni, or emphasizing the need for organizations to provide events or connection opportunities with alumni. One interviewee expressed that providing interns with strong alumni networks both in general and separated by identity, whether through networking events, collaborative projects, or providing online community spaces for alumni and interns, would be helpful to retain talent from marginalized communities, especially in think tank spaces that are primarily white, as it is an opportunity to showcase institutional diversity and let interns know that there are others like them who have not only gone through programs at the organization, but also who have been served well and who continue to be supported. Building these peer and alumni networks not only fosters a sense of belonging, but also signals to interns that they are part of a lasting and supportive community.

5. Support taking on new challenges and expanding skills.

Two of the individuals interviewed expressed their appreciation for people within their organizations who encouraged them to step outside of their usual responsibilities and take on new challenges, such as writing and publishing their work. This kind of support plays a crucial role in building confidence, expanding skill sets, and helping interns recognize their own potential. In one of the interviewees’ cases, their supervisor recommended they publish their work to boost their resume, which they saw as a sign that their supervisor genuinely cared about their growth and future success, which was especially important to them as a marginalized individual navigating a competitive field. These moments of encouragement are more than professional development; they are acts of investment. By creating space for interns to take on visible, resume-building opportunities beyond their core tasks, organizations can show that they are not only interested in what interns can do for them, but in what those interns can become.

6. Support incorporating lived experience into the organization’s work.

Organizations often overlook the value of marginalized interns’ lived experiences and may even discourage them from incorporating these perspectives into their work. One interviewee shared how they had drawn on their own lived experience for a research project, only to be told to redo their work because it didn’t align with the project’s goals. Another interviewee expressed that in order to retain interns from marginalized communities, organizations need to be more appreciative of their work, making space for their viewpoints, and providing extra support, not limiting them to a box. Interns from marginalized communities bring insights that are often missing from policy and research spaces. Actively encouraging them to draw on their experiences not only empowers these interns’ voices, but also strengthens the relevance and impact of the organization’s work. For example, incorporating perspectives from their academic research, cultural background, or community advocacy work can make the organization’s projects more relevant and impactful to the communities they serve.

7. Create a pipeline for job searching.

Of the interns I spoke with, most had already completed their undergraduate degrees and were using the internship to determine their next steps. Internships serve as important entry points, particularly for candidates from marginalized communities seeking to break into fields such as policy and research. However, many organizations lack built-in structures to help interns transition into full-time roles. This gap is especially critical for interns from marginalized communities, who may face greater barriers in securing jobs in the think tank world, which is shaped by its traditional hiring networks. By establishing a clear pipeline from mentorship and resume support to interview prep and internal job placement, organizations can not only retain promising talent but also play an active role in diversifying their workforce. Creating transparent pathways for interns to move into full-time roles will help ensure that organizations benefit from the skills and perspectives of the very individuals they invested in training, and will also help interns feel fully supported.

Looking Ahead

Internships are more than just temporary roles, they are entry points into fields that have long excluded marginalized voices. The interns I spoke with made it clear that feeling seen, supported, and included can make all the difference in whether they choose to stay in a field or walk away from it entirely.

If organizations want to retain talent from marginalized communities, they must go beyond recruitment and commit to building environments in which interns are empowered to thrive through mentorship, flexibility, meaningful connections, and opportunities for growth.

By investing in the success of these interns, think tanks aren’t just helping individuals—they’re shaping a more inclusive, representative, and equitable future for their field.