Teen Engagement Internship - Summer 2023
This internship is part of the University’s Jeff Metcalf Internship Program. Please review to learn more about program requirements for Metcalf interns.
Fellowship Award Amount: up to $5,000
Internship Time Commitment: Summer Quarter ( 8-10 weeks;32-40 hours per week)
This internship is a paid opportunity for all current Odyssey Scholars or Merit Scholars
- This position is Grant Eligible for students who are not Odyssey Scholars and can apply to secure funds through an internship grant. Click here for a list of available grants.
- Students from other selective career cohorts, and merit award recipients may be eligible to receive funding for this opportunity. If you’ve received an internship offer for this opportunity, please inform your Career Advancement adviser/career cohort program coordinator to review funding eligibility before accepting an offer.
Please make sure that if selected for an interview, you communicate to your prospective host organization/employer where you will be physically located during the internship as your location may affect your (or your host organization/employer’s) ability to pursue this opportunity.
If you are an international student, please make sure to visit the OIA website to familiarize yourself with your work authorization eligibility and requirements as soon as possible. If you’d like to make an appointment with your international adviser, please visit this page.
Teen Engagement Internship | 2 Openings
2023 Summer
Supervisor Nicole Bond, Manager of Learning and Public Engagement
About the Smart Museum of Art
As the fine arts museum of the University of Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art is a site for rigorous inquiry and exchange that encourages the examination of complex issues through the lens of art objects and artistic practice. Through strong scholarly and community collaborations and a welcoming approach to its exhibitions, collections, publications, research and teaching, and public programs, the Smart Museum plays a dynamic role in expanding artistic canons, rethinking received histories, introducing new perspectives, and engaging diverse communities—locally, nationally, and internationally. The Smart Museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024.
General Description
The Teen Engagement Interns will be vital members of the Public Practice team to support projects across the museum, focusing intensively to support teen engagement. Teen programming at the Smart Museum provides multivalent opportunities for South Side youth to access their lived experience, step into their creative brilliance, and contribute to civic dialogue through artful expression. The intern will support our flagship program, produced in partnership with Chicago Housing Authority, where teen participants pursue ambitious real-world, human-centered design projects that will impact the larger community. The work will span sites across campus and the South Side.
Duties and Objectives
- Support museum staff and program lead artists in every aspect of running a summer-long intensive program with teen audiences; mentorship and support of teen participants, including coordinating communications, project documentation, data collection, and project management.
- Liaise with visiting artists and community leaders.
- Maintain and organize calendar listings and schedules.
- Order supplies, lunches, and program materials; support other museum public projects that will unfold across the summer and into the academic year.
- Help support the Smart’s annual summer cookout event.
Compensation and Hours
$5,000 stipend | 30-40 hours over a 10-week summer
Application Requirements
Please submit a one-page cover letter to tell us more about your academic and extracurricular interests and why you would like to work with the Teen and Community Engagement Program at the Smart Museum. What do you hope to gain from your time at the museum? We suggest using direct, jargon-free language and short paragraphs to highlight the skills and experience you bring to this position.
Please also share your CV or Resume and academic transcript (unofficial): These materials allow us to identify resources and suggest understudied objects in the museum’s collection that align with your research interests, professional experiences, and coursework.
To apply
Submit the above materials to Handshake to apply. Any questions can be directed to Aneesah Veatch, Academic Engagement Coordinator, aveatch@uchicago.edu.
Cover letters can be addressed to Nicole Bond, Manager of Learning and Public Engagement
Application deadline Sunday, February 26th 11:59 PM Central Time
Timing
Anticipated start date beginning of the Summer Quarter to be confirmed with candidate availability.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they believe they meet all criteria. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that any applicant meets every single qualification for a given position. We encourage you to apply if you think you could excel in or benefit from this role. We are dedicated to considering a wide range of candidates, including those with diverse interests, experiences, and backgrounds.
This internship is currently planned to support in-person museum activities. If campus guidelines change, the positions may be reconfigured to be remote.