The National WWII Museum’s internship or work-study program is designed to give college students an opportunity to complement their formal education with career-related experiences. An internship refers to a variety of programs which provide college students with practical work experience as part of a formal education program leading to a degree. An internship provides an extension of classroom experience by integrating theory and practice. Internships also build positive relationships between colleges and universities and the Museum while providing a valuable service to the community and contributing to the educational process. Museum internships are awarded to college juniors and seniors and students entered in graduate programs. Interns will work on departmental projects (curatorial, administrative, research or educational). Applicants should have a broad background in American history, European history, Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting, Tourism, Museum Studies, or a background appropriate to the department to which they are applying. Specific duties depend upon the needs of the individual department.

TYPES OF PROGRAMS

The National WWII Museum’s internship programs are generally categorized as:

1. Full-time or part-time
2. Summer vs. academic year
3. Paid or unpaid. Typically internships are unpaid; however, there may be exceptions when a need arises and the internship is approved through the normal budget process
4. Credit or non-credit

The majority of programs will be short-term, just one or two semesters in length and are available throughout the year. The number of positions varies according to departmental needs. Ways in which interns are utilized:

• Assisting more experienced employees;
• Completing short-term assignments where adding an additional full-time employee is not practical or affordable;
• Assisting during peak visitation periods or during special events;
• Acting as technical assistants under the direction of a Museum staff member on such projects as conducting literature searches, oral history collection, archival organization, marketing projects, website, database development and input, etc.;
• Assisting Museum staff in Development, Marketing, and execution of educational programs and conferences.

To ensure success for both the Museum and the students, the programs must have structure, provide a challenge to the student, have meaningful opportunities for learning and exposure to actual professional work environments and have direct supervision from Museum staff. Interns typically have little or no experience. Interns will be assigned projects where there is a high level of supervision or as part of a team. All student participants will receive a performance evaluation by their immediate supervisor if required by their learning institution. Structured feedback is an important part of the overall learning experience. Internship arrangements will be closely monitored to prevent an unsatisfactory outcome.

Unpaid interns will receive the same Museum non-monetary benefits provided to the Museum’s Volunteer Corp.

THE PARTICIPANTS

A well managed internship program is a win-win situation for all participants (Museum and intern). To achieve mutual benefits from the program, all parties must understand and carry out their individual responsibilities.

Student Intern Responsibilities

1. Adhere to Museum work hours, policies, and procedures governing professional Museum staff behavior.
2. Assume personal and professional responsibility for his/her actions and activities.
3. Maintain professional relationships with Museum employees, volunteers, vendors and visitors.
4. Work on applying knowledge acquired in the classroom to real-world business situations.
5. Complete work assignments in a thorough, consistent, and punctual manner.
6. Hold Museum information in confidence.
7. Complete an Internship Evaluation Report on their internship experiences and return form to the Internship Program Manager.

INTERN ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION

When selecting an intern, the Museum will try to match its needs with the educational and professional goals of the intern and the goals of the host college/university.