Florida Atlantic University has received a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor to fund semester-long internships for students in Washington, D.C.
Florida Atlantic University has received a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor to fund semester-long internships for students in Washington, D.C. Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, FAU students will serve as interns in Washington, D.C. Internship opportunities will include the U.S. Congress, the State Department, as well as other government offices and public organizations. These immersive experiences have the potential to lead students toward lifelong public service careers and service opportunities.
“This gift unlocks incredible opportunities for our students interested in a future in public policy and diplomacy, and I am extremely thankful to the donors,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “As a former Capitol Hill undergrad intern myself, I know the power of this program to provide our students with a chance to help study real-world policy decisions, changing the trajectory of their lives while contributing positively to our world.”
Jeffrey Morton, Ph.D., professor of political science, who has worked with the donors in the past to create the Morton Research Forum and a study abroad program, proposed the internship program and serves in an advisory capacity in its development.
“It is opportunities such as this that continue to elevate the university’s standing and enhance the education of our students,” said Morton.
This internship program is the first of several envisioned under the President’s Fund. Future initiatives include a student-exchange program through the Florida-Israel Institute and a distinguished speaker series that brings top-level policymakers to campus for presentations.
“We are strong believers in providing students with life-changing programs, and as longtime supporters of Florida Atlantic’s diplomacy programs, we believe these internships will build a foundation for expansive career success,” said a representative of the donors. “We are very excited to work with President Hasner on future components of the President’s Fund, and we encourage others to support it as well.”
The President’s Fund program seeks to raise an additional $1 million during each of the next four years with a new program component to launch annually.
-FAU-
Latest News Desk
- FAU Publishes Initial Annual Report: Florida Office of Ocean EconomyHoused at FAU, the Florida Office of Ocean Economy was created to position the state as a global leader in ocean-linked industries and to build the foundation for a thriving ocean economy.
- FAU Professor Highlighted for Park Designed for Coastal ResiliencyJeffrey E. Huber, professor in the School of Architecture within the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic, was recently featured in Architectural Record magazine for a park.
- FAU Foundation Raises $72M in 2025 Fiscal YearThe Florida Atlantic University Foundation (FAUF) raised more than $72.5 million from nearly 11,000 donors at the end of the 2025 fiscal year - the second largest amount raised in the university's history.
- FAU Report: Business, Job Growth Jumps in South FloridaSouth Florida's economy continues to outpace national growth, driven by strong employment gains and a surge in business creation, according to a new economic outlook report from Florida Atlantic University.
- FAU Earns 2025 Eduventures Innovation AwardFlorida Atlantic University is one of just four higher education institutions in the nation to be recognized with the 2025 Eduventures Innovation Award, presented annually by Eduventures Research.
- Study Refutes Blood Thinner Brain Bleed Risk After Falls in SeniorsFAU researchers found that warfarin use - even at high blood-thinning levels - did not significantly raise brain bleeding risk among 2,700 older adults admitted to the ER with fall-related head injuries.