Job Description
What is MPSN?
For over 30 years, Muslim Public Service Network (MPSN), has empowered our community's future leaders to explore their careers through the lens of Islamic morals and ethics. Our one-of-a-kind fellowship program educates, connects, and inspires talented Muslims seeking to enter critical fields as diverse as government, public policy, journalism, grassroots organizing and advocacy, and the nonprofit social justice sector. Spend your summer learning, networking, and living in a spiritually nurturing home - free of charge - in the heart of the nation's capital. So many of our alums say it changed their lives. Join the Class of 2026 and be a part of something extraordinary.
Highlights of the MPSN Summer Program include the Cooperative Living Experience, Career Mentoring, and our Lecture Series on Islam & Public Ethics.
- Cooperative Living Experience: Live with a diverse group of American Muslims sharing daily chores, intellectual debates, and social outings while embracing the Quranic principle of growing through engaging with our differences. This core aspect of the MPSN summer fosters deep connections in each MPSN cohort that last far beyond the program.
- Career Mentoring: Gain firsthand exposure to insights and advice from experts working in government, public policy, journalism, grassroots organizing and advocacy, academia, art activism, and the nonprofit social justice sectors.
- Lecture Series on Islam & Public Ethics: Get private access to top scholars and activists, who come to the MPSN house to teach various aspects of Islam and Public Service/Ethics.
Check out our website and via the links to our social media pages on our page (@mpsndc) for more information regarding the application process and program highlights! Send us a DM or email us at (admissions@muslimpublicservice.org) if you have any questions!
Application Timeline
November 12, 2025 – March 31, 2026: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
NOTE: If you do not have a summer internship secured by the time your application is complete, go ahead and send in the application with a note about what internships you have applied for, and keep us updated as you hear back from them. If you need some help in thinking about what internships are available and might be a good fit for you, feel free to fill out this inquiry form. If we have any ideas for you, we’ll pass them on as soon as we can.
April 1, 2026 – May 1, 2026: Late applications accepted, with limited availability
Any application received within these dates will be accepted only if there is space in the program.
The MPSN Fellowship will begin on June 1st and end on July 31st.
ELIGIBILITY
What MPSN is looking for:
- The ideal MPSN Fellow is 20 years or older with a commitment to public service
- Interest and job experience in public service in lieu of college education are welcome
- Undergraduates must have completed at least two years of college
- Any major is acceptable
- Graduate students, recent graduates, and international students studying in the US are welcome
- Someone who has secured (or is on their way to securing) a summer job/internship in Washington, D.C.
- Public service or public policy focus is encouraged, but not mandatory
- Muslim organizations, foreign embassies, or organizations serving predominantly Muslim populations are disfavored
- NOTE: It is your responsibility to secure your daytime job/internship. MPSN does not place applicants into daytime jobs. Our Fellowship is designed to support those already motivated to work in public service. We encourage you to secure a job that suits your career goals as early as possible, as the most prestigious summer internships are usually filled by the end of January. If you have applied to an internship but have not yet heard a response and would like help, we sometimes can assist through our alumni network. If you would like such assistance, feel free to mention it in your application.
Don't know where to start?
If public service is new to you, we're happy to help you get started. Contact us at admissions@muslimpublicservice.org, and we can help connect you to a network of people who know the spaces and internships that might interest you. After nearly 30 years, we've established an extensive network that was meant for exactly this purpose.
Application Requirements
A completed MPSN application includes:
- Completed application (be sure to read every question carefully and answer all sections)
- Two reference letters
- Resume
- Video Submission
There is no cost to apply for the MPSN Fellowship.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please review the checklist to ensure that all materials are submitted.
Program Expectations
If accepted to the MPSN summer Fellowship, you will be expected to be in residence from June 1 – July 31. The MPSN fellowship provides -- free of charge -- living space in the shared MPSN residence (arranged for appropriate privacy) and all meals for the months of June and July. Living in the MPSN residence is mandatory; you cannot be an MPSN Fellow if you are living on your own, and you must be in residence for the entire two-month program.
MPSN Fellows must actively participate in all MPSN program activities. This is an exceptionally demanding program. MPSN is designed for goal-oriented, mature and academically advanced students. In order for you to succeed, you must be self-disciplined and socially mature.
More details will be provided upon acceptance, but in brief, all Fellows are expected to:
- attend all MPSN lectures, alumni presentations, group projects. These will fill up most weekday evenings and several weekends. (Exceptions are granted only for exceptional need, and only with prior approval by the MPSN board.)
- perform your designated household chores (cooking, cleaning, hosting speakers) on time and with your team
- cooperate in planning the July closing banquet/alumni reunion