Diversity in Local History Internship Opportunities!

Eligibility

Interns must be:

  1. Currently enrolled at an accredited institution of higher education in Washington State, or
  2. Have graduated within the last two years from an accredited institution of higher education and be currently residing in Washington State.

Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to submit materials for consideration. Prospective interns should have an academic area of focus in a history- or humanities-based field, such as:

  • Museum studies/Museology
  • Anthropology
  • History
  • Public History
  • Archaeology
  • Historic Preservation
  • American Ethnic Studies
  • American Indian Studies
  • Cultural Studies
  • Non-profit Management
  • Arts Management
  • Education
  • Humanities
  • Information and Library Sciences
  • Gender Studies

Read more in the program guidelines.


Application

How: Prospective interns may reach out to organization(s) individually about a specific project or upload their materials to the Washington State Heritage Portal to indicate interest in one or multiple available projects. You can fill out 1 application and be considered for 11 opportunities throughout the state!

  • Please Note: Each heritage organization is responsible for contacting their preferred intern applicant to make an offer of employment and the project organization is the sole employer of participating interns.

When: The intern submission form in the Heritage Portal is currently open with a priority deadline of November 29, at which point all submissions received will be sent to the organizations identified by the interns. After November 29, submissions will continue to be sent to organizations on a rolling basis until all organizations have selected an intern for their project.

Heritage Portal: On the submission form, interns will see descriptions of all 11 projects and will specify interest in one or more projects by selecting “yes” or “no.” Intern materials will only be forwarded to those project organizations for which they select “yes,” meaning project organizations will only receive materials from applicants who indicate interest in their particular project. Click the link below to get started!

(Please be aware that it can take 2-3 business days to create a portal account.)


Available Internship Projects

  • Bainbridge Island Historical Society, Bainbridge Island, WA, 830 hours, seeks an intern to document and inventory items from three collections containing cultural materials from Indipino, Filipino American, and Japanese American communities.  Contact: Michele Miller
  • Densho, Seattle, WA, 800 hours, seeks an intern to support the digitization and processing of four collections related to the history of Japanese Americans in Washington State. Interns will also learn about digital archive standards and best practices from the Densho archives team. Contact: Caitlin Oiye Coon
  • Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, Aberdeen, WA, 600 hours, seeks an intern to assist in crafting an internal DEI statement, as well as support the redesign of the reconstructed historic vessel Lady Washington‘s public school presentations to include Indigenous, disabled, and BIPOC sailor history related to the Lady Washington and the maritime industry.  Contact: Brandi Bednarik 
  • The Holocaust Center for Humanity, Seattle, WA, 555 hours seeks an intern to help continue developing their DEI Implementation Plan, which aligns mission-focused DEI goals with strategic priorities. The ultimate goal of this project is to help sustainably center organizational culture around equity.  Contact: Devonshire Lokke
  • Jefferson County Historical Society, Port Townsend, WA, 300 hours seeks an intern to collect oral histories and research and write biographies from groups and experiences that have been identified as either missing or misrepresented in JCHS’s collection, such as the Black, LGBTQIA+, Asian, and youth communities. Contact: Ellie DiPietro
  • Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington, Seattle, WA, 550 hours, seeks an intern to research, select,and curation new exhibits for 10 existing museum display cases that will highlight Japanese American history in the Pacific Northwest from early immigration in the late 1800s through the 1940s. Contact: Eric Pang
  • Northwest African American Museum, Seattle, WA, 800 hours, seeks an intern to support their Youth Curator Program which connects high school age students with curators, historians, technology experts, and filmmakers who guide youth in bringing history to life. The intern will mentor student participants, assist with preparing curriculum and media materials, and provide technology and on-site coordination.  Contact: Jason Turner
  • Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, Olympia, WA, 250 hours, seeks an intern to develop interpretive signage in Squaxin Park. The intern will work with Squaxin Island Tribal members to research and design interpretative signage. Contact: Shanna Stevenson
  • Skagit County Historical Society, La Conner, WA, 833 hours, seeks an intern to help inventory their Native American collections with the goal of helping the museum more accurately represent tribal nations. The intern will also assist in re-labeling permanent Native American exhibit cases to incorporate inclusive terminology.  Contact: Ann Skupniewitz-Maroney
  • South Whidbey Historical Society, Langely, WA, 800 hours, seeks an intern to support their work developing a database/inventory tool utilizing best practices to catalog newly acquired historical data and artifacts. The intern will also develop concepts for a future interpretation initiative based on the cataloging work, such as a new museum exhibit, online exhibit, and/or interpretive signage with the goal of educating and engaging the public. Contact: Kyle Walker
  • Tacoma Historical Society, Tacoma, WA, 180 hours, seeks an intern to support the research and virtual programming related to an exhibit about Tacoma’s diverse fashion history. The intern research will focus particularly on businesses owned and operated by immigrants, women, and persons of color. Contact: Elizabeth Korsmo
  • Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Seattle, WA, 344 hours, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation seeks an intern to research and develop storytelling content to help the communication strategy and website for the new Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. Through a combination of individual profiles and featured pieces the intern will help tell the broad and diverse history of Washington maritime industry. Contact: Alexandra Gradwohl
By Meaghan Wood (She/Her)
Meaghan Wood (She/Her) Career Coach