2024 INTERNSHIPS
HORTICULTURE & LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT
This internship is an excellent opportunity for students who want to gain practical work experience and exposure to public horticulture and natural areas management. The program aims to provide students with valuable career experience in various aspects of public gardening while building a strong skillset for future employment in horticulture or natural areas management. The internship offers diverse opportunities to work in botanical settings such as a 40-acre arboretum, a tallgrass prairie, a fern conservatory, a preserve, and native/ornamental garden areas.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Students will assist with organizing and gathering materials for youth and adult art, history, and environmental education programs, webinars, workshops, and offsite presentations. They will assist with preparing, setting up, and presenting on-site activities such as adult classes, group tours, school field trips, summer day camps, and scout badge workshops. They will also help to review, research, and consolidate information for docent programs focused on Fernwood’s history, natural features, and gardens. In addition, they will have the opportunity to develop a program, display, video, or research project to share publicly with Fernwood visitors.
LIBRARY SERVICES & ARCHIVES
Students will work with the Director of Education and volunteers to streamline the processing of books and improve the overall functionality of the Sims Education Center Library. This includes shelf reading, deaccessioning, researching new books for the collection, and labeling books for the collection.
In addition, students will assist with inventorying and organizing Fernwood’s archive collection, which includes historical documents, photographs, maps, blueprints, slides, and objects. Students will work with staff and volunteers to digitize and catalog items, creating a searchable database using recognized archival and records management practices.