Fall 2021 Internships
Park History Project – City of Boulder Parks and Recreation
Assist with a collaboration between the CU Boulder History Department and the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department. Starting in Summer 2020, the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation (BPR) department engaged the University of Colorado’s History Department to evaluate existing park names in Boulder. Many undergraduates and a graduate student intern researched the history of park names, namesakes, and locations, with a particular eye towards social justice issues. This Fall, your work as an intern will be critical to sharing this information with the public. As an intern you will synthesize the current research and compiled sources to create a GIS Story Map which clearly and compellingly communicates park histories. This is a great opportunity to gain experience with local government and history communications. No prior GIS experience needed; training included for editing of the Story Map template. In addition to gaining experience with digital storytelling, this internship offers the chance to do hands-on, publicly engaged historical research, develop writing skills for the web and the public, and to learn about the realm of municipal government.
Number of Positions: 1 - 2
Supervisor: Professor Phoebe Young, CU Boulder History Professor
Charlotte O'Donnell, Boulder Parks & Recreation
Schedule: 8-10 hours per week August 30th - December 10th 2021
Format: Combination of in-person and remote work - might change in accordance to local COVID-19 restrictions
Course Credit: Students may earn 3 internship credits by completing several personal reflections and submit final project from their internship. To earn credit, students must enroll in HIST 4930 (syllabus).
Desired skills:
- Interest in public history & municipal government
- Willing to learning basic GIS (no prior experience needed)
- Capable of analyzing & synthesizing large amounts of information
- Strong & clear writing
- Ability to work independently
- Access to a computer with internet and video call capabilities
How to apply: Complete an internship application and answer the following questions in a few sentence each. Send your form and answered questions to abigail.peters@colorado.edu.
- What skills do you bring to this internship?
- How does this internship support your current historical interests & future goals?
- What do you hope to get out of the internship?
Application Deadline: 6pm on Wednesday August 25th
Collections – Museum of Boulder
As an intern you will work with the Curator of Collections to learn and perform the basic, crucial activities of collections care for the Museum of Boulder’s extensive collection of historic artifacts: accessioning new donations, adding to the digital catalog, labeling, and storing artifacts, as well as assisting the Curator with the integrated pest management and environmental monitoring systems. Additional potential projects include assisting the Curator with cleaning and organization of the objects in the Boulder Strong Memorial Collection (objects from the memorial fence outside the King Soopers; preparing digital records for inclusion in a public online database; evaluating artifacts currently in the collection for their historical significance and relevance to the Museum’s mission; curating a small display for the Collections Closet at the Museum based on our collection). Other specific projects and responsibilities will be tailored to the Intern’s experience and interests.
Number of Positions: 1
Supervisor: Chelsea Pennington Hahn, Curator of Collections
Schedule: 8-10 hours per week August 30th - December 10th 2021
Format: In person, with some virtual work available – could change depending on state of the pandemic and local restrictions
Course Credit: Students may earn 3 internship credits by completing several personal reflections and submit final project from their internship. To earn credit, students must enroll in HIST 4930 (syllabus).
Desired skills:
- Interest in history collections and a career in museums or archives
- Ability to take directions well
- Access to a computer with internet and video call capabilities
- Detail oriented and organized
- Comfort with being self-directed, but willing to ask questions when unsure
How to apply: Submit an internship application, a resume/CV and a cover letter to abigail.peters@colorado.edu. Resume/CV and cover letter should be saved as a PDF. Cover letter must answer the following questions:
- What skills do you bring to this internship?
- How does this internship support your current historical interests & future goals?
- What do you hope to get out of the internship?
Application Deadline: 6pm on Wednesday August 25th
Special Collections, Archives & Preservation – CU Libraries
The Special Collections, Archives & Preservation department of the CU Libraries is offering an internship position working with archival collections. Tasks will include surveying, organizing, and creating an inventory of an archival collection to improve researcher access to the collection. As an intern you will receive a general introduction to archival collections including their arrangement, description, and preservation. Collections range in topic from history of science, political science, university history, history of the nuclear west including rocky flats, labor history among others. Your final project will be all or portions of an archival finding aid (or context and inventory for a collection).
Number of Positions: 1
Supervisor: Ashlyn Velte, Interim Head of Archives
Schedule: 8-10 hours per week August 30th - December 10th 2021
Format: In person - will go remote if required by campus
Compensation: Students may earn 3 internship credits by completing several personal reflections and submit final project from their internship. To earn credit, students must enroll in HIST 4930 (syllabus).
Desired skills:
- Interest in archives or libraries
- Detail-oriented and organized
- General knowledge of nineteenth-and twentieth-century history
- Ability effectively in a self-paced environment
- Access to a computer with internet and video call capabilities
How to apply: Submit an internship application and a cover letter to abigail.peters@colorado.edu. Cover letter should be saved as a PDF and must answer the following questions:
- What skills do you bring to this internship?
- How does this internship support your current historical interests & future goals?
- What do you hope to get out of the internship?
Application Deadline: 6pm on Wednesday August 25th