Island Fellows Paid Summer Internship
The Island Institute, a nonprofit community-development organization based in Rockland, Maine, seeks a motivated, self-starting college or master’s degree student for a paid summer internship designed to promote hands-on learning in a professional, collegial environment. The intern will receive guidance and support from a staff advisor as well as from a team of talented professionals who are passionate about the Maine coast and its year-round island communities.
Position Summary
The Island Fellows team is currently focusing on increasing recruitment efforts for this flagship program, now entering its 19th year. Through social media and website media, the intern will help address an identified need in enhancing the Institute’s marketing efforts to match those of comparable organizations seeking high-quality applicants for elite fellowships. The focus for the internship will be on content-gathering and sharing for recruitment and promotional purposes. Specific goals will include:
· Gathering and compiling media content
· Increasing the program’s recruitment outreach through social media
· Assessing how Island Fellows placements compare to similar fellowships
· Managing the Island Fellows Instagram and Facebook accounts
· Preparing website content for the Media team to disseminate
Duration and Schedule
The duration of the internship is from approximately June 1 to approximately August 7, based on the student’s availability. The intern will work primarily in the Island Institute’s Rockland office, with limited opportunity to work remotely, but will accompany staff to all Fellows host communities. Upon successful completion of agreed-upon project benchmarks outlined in a signed agreement, the intern will, as an independent contractor, receive payment (s) not to exceed $2,000. An additional $350 per month will be provided by the Institute to assist with rental accommodations if needed.
Desired Qualifications
· Interest and academic experience in media studies, communications, or marketing
· Ability to work collaboratively with staff in developing effective marketing strategies to Gen Z
· Strong verbal and written communication skills
· Knowledge and comfort with social media
· Office 365 (or similar) - Word, Excel, Powerpoint
Anticipated Learning Outcomes
· Hands-on opportunities for learning about local community-development efforts in Maine’s island and coastal communities
· Workplace skills development through interaction with and coaching from the Island Fellows team
· Learning opportunities from cross-collaboration with the Institute’s Media team
Direction and Support for the Internship
Interns will have weekly one-on-one meetings with supervisors, and will attend weekly Fellows team huddles to assess progress towards project goals. They will also participate in staff check-ins with each Island Fellow to increase their knowledge of the program and content-sharing on social and web media. The project workplan will allow for creativity in the intern’s approach to achieving their goals, and the intern will be welcome to request more time with advisors throughout the week, as needed.
IMPORTANT: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all internships will be under review to ensure that we can provide a safe environment for students and staff during the summer months. Please complete your application and we will inform you of any changes or cancellations.