Learn the Foundations
The Ideas at Work: Summer Internship Program offers students an immersive introduction to the world of ideas, policy, and social change. Over nine weeks in June and July each year, interns join a community of learners who are eager to understand how economic principles, institutional analysis, and classical liberal ideas shape the world around us. Through readings, lectures from scholars such as Peter Boettke, Tyler Cowen, Christopher Coyne, Bryan Caplan, and others, and collaborative discussions, interns explore the foundations of the Mercatus approach to political economy and develop the intellectual tools to think critically about social change.
Build Professional Skills
Learning extends well beyond the classroom. Interns participate in workshops that strengthen their communication, research, and professional skills while preparing them for future work in policy, academia, nonprofits, or the private sector.
Each intern also takes on meaningful responsibilities across the Mercatus Center, gaining hands-on experience in areas such as research, policy analysis, talent development, operations, marketing, and more. Guided by scholars and staff, interns contribute to real projects that advance the organization’s mission and produce work they can showcase in academic or professional settings.
Connect with Scholars and Practitioners
The program provides opportunities to engage directly with leading thinkers and practitioners. Through conversations with visiting scholars and site visits to organizations across Washington, DC — including the Cato Institute, the Institute for Humane Studies, Stand Together, the American Enterprise Institute, and the U.S. Congress — interns gain a broader understanding of how ideas move through institutions and influence society.
Leave with Lasting Value
Altogether, the internship provides a holistic and transformative experience. Interns leave with:
- A deeper understanding of how social change happens.
- Practical research and professional experience.
- A network of peers, scholars, and mentors.
- A portfolio of work that reflects their growth.
The program is ideal for motivated students who want to engage deeply with ideas, develop practical skills, and contribute to work that matters.
Alumni have gone on to work at Cato, American Institute for Economic Research, Reason, the Manhattan Institute, Capitol Hill, state-level government agencies, and other organizations.
