Internships
Part of our collaboration with local educational institutions
is through resume-building internships and short-term projects.
To date, we have worked with students from Mt. Mercy College,
Coe College, University of Iowa, Hamilton College and Kirkwood
Community College.
Established in 1994, the African American Museum and Cultural
Center of Iowa is a dynamic, cutting-edge non-profit institution
whose mission is to seek out and preserve the rich African American
heritage of Iowa.
Because the Museum has a small staff and is growing rapidly,
interns have the opportunity for invaluable hands-on professional
experience tailored to fit their individual talents and interests.
Internships are offered year-round. While internships are unpaid,
they offer invaluable professional experience.
Majors/Minors who might be interested:
History, American History, Museum/Archival Studies, Education, Marketing/Tourism,
Journalism, Non-Profit Management, African American Studies, Women’s
Studies.
Interns may gain professional experience in the following:
History/Museum & Archives:
History/Museum & Archives interns will do historical research
for upcoming exhibits, assist staff in managing museum collections
and archival work; collect oral histories and assist in the design,
fabrication and installation for temporary exhibits.
Marketing/Public Relations:
Marketing/Public Relations interns will write articles for the
Museum's quarterly newsletter, The Iowa Griot. They will
assist the staff in all aspects of marketing and promotion for
Museum special events, fund-raisers and educational programs.
There will also be opportunities for interns to meet and network
with local marketing/tourism groups such as the Cedar Rapids Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Cultural Corridor
Alliance.
Education:
Education interns will have an opportunity to help plan annual
events such as the Martin Luther King Day Service Project, Black
History Month programs, Juneteenth and Kwanzaa. Interns in the
education department will also be required to attend docent training
and give at least one tour during their internship.
Fundraising:
Fundraising interns will assist staff in planning fundraising
events such as the Annual Celebration of Education and Achievement
and the Legacy Golf Classic. Interns in this department will also
write grants and identify funding sources.
Non-Profit Management:
Management interns will gain some experience in all of the categories
listed above as well as handling personnel; working with boards
and committees; facility design and management; legal aspects
and other unique aspects of running a non-profit organization.
To apply for an internship, fill out and return the internship
application to Lynn Koos at curator@blackiowa.org.
Here's what our past interns have said about their experience:
"A great opportunity to work with a wonderful and knowledgeable
staff. I really enjoyed working directly with the curator Susan
and members of the Cedar Rapids community. The experience was
certainly a testament to the value of field study." --Joshua
Terronez, Intern 2008.
"Interning at the African American Museum of Iowa provided
me with first hand experience in the field of museum curating
by putting together an exhibit. I worked as part of a team of
equals with other interns and the museum staff. Not only did I
gain valuable experience in the field but I was able to research
some interesting and unique historical perspectives that were
outside of my usual coursework." -- Nathan Shepard, Intern
2008.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Lynn Koos - Tel: 319-862-2101 ext. 27
Email: curator@blackiowa.org
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