USADA Internship & Externship Program | What Our Interns Say

Elite Education Director, Tammy Hanson: USADA offers paid internship and externship opportunities to students and recent graduates, and we consistently find ourselves impressed by the exceptional quality of applicants we receive. These internships and externships have a flexibility in duration, ranging from three to nine months, and are available year-round across various departments within our organization. While we review each application to ensure a suitable match with organizational needs, we are equally dedicated to ensuring that this opportunity aligns well with the candidate’s aspirations.

First Intern: Working with USADA gives me that chance to be on the organizational lens, and I want to go into sports law in the future. So, having this perspective, having this experience, really kind of honed in that passion of mine and it showed me that I really, really want to be a part of this movement, the Olympic movement, and stay within this institution.

Tammy Hanson: Some of the qualities we’re looking for in candidates include a willingness to learn, because this is a nuanced industry, passion for the work that we do, and strong attention to detail.

Second Intern: The most important thing I learned is to be open to feedback and always ask for that feedback. I’ve learned a lot just by being curious and asking for any critique or criticism from people around me, whether they are in the legal department or outside of the legal department. It’s really valuable to get feedback from all sorts of perspectives.

Tammy Hanson: We rely on our interns and externs to help us achieve many of our initiatives and deliberately assign work that directly contributes to the fulfillment of our mission.

Third Intern: Some of my most significant achievements include writing a technology manual for DCOs to use.

Second Intern: My first week of my internship, I had the opportunity to draft an opening statement for a hearing that was coming up.

Fourth Intern: I handled reimbursements for our Penrose Summit, which was our international WADA summit.

Tammy Hanson: Our goal is to have interns and externs leave with a stronger resume, a network of professionals to support them, and office experience that helps them succeed as they step into the next chapter of their professional careers.

First Intern: If you’re a self-starter, if you’re collaborative, it’s the best environment for you. You’re really given a chance to put your foot in, try new things, while also getting guidance from very incredible people, incredible mentors.

Third Intern: The people here really want to help you learn and grow.

Second Intern: I think this really helps with your professional development. Whatever type of career you’re looking to go into, there’s a lot of really practical experience that you can get and there’s lots of different opportunities that you can get involved in right away when you start here.

Tammy Hanson: As this program shows, we are committed to not only maintaining the integrity of sport, but also nurturing the growth and development of future professionals who will shape the industry.