SSA's 2012 interns Ellen Lundgren and Dave Muscato
at the SSA 2012 Annual Conference
Secular Student Alliance seeks three full-time summer interns: one graphic design intern, one writing/resource development intern, and one communications intern.
Internship Details
These internships are paid positions, each ten weeks long, based in our office in Columbus, OH. The design internship must start no later than May 20. The writing/resource development and communications internship dates are flexible between mid May and early September. The internships are 40 hrs/week at $8/hr and will take place during normal business hours except where otherwise noted. Interns are responsible for arranging their own housing while completing the internship.
We can be flexible in terms of time and compensation to meet academic requirements if the internship is to be performed for academic credit. On a case-by-case basis, some work may be able to be done via telecommuting.
Internship Overview
1. Graphic Design Internship. This position requires experience with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. Major tasks for this position include layout for our two conference booklets, design of program logos and related materials, and assorted graphic design needs as determined. This position will require the ability to prioritize several projects at once. Related majors may include (but are not limited to) art, graphic design, marketing, or communications.
2. Writing/Resource Development Internship. This position requires training and experience in writing, preferably technical writing. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record of producing high-quality material on a deadline, whether for classes, extra-curricular activities, employment, or other areas. This internship will be primarily responsible for creating resources for student groups in the areas of financial management, infrastructure development, leadership transitions, and similar areas. Related majors may include (but are not limited to) English, writing/creative writing, journalism, or communications.
3. Communications Internship. The ideal candidate will possess excellent writing skills, a sense of persuasive framing, and experience in journalism. Major tasks include drafting public communications such as press releases, researching and developing internal messaging sheets, and maintaining a database of key journalists and outreach channels. Related majors include (but are not limited to) communication, journalism, and political science.
All three interns will be involved in the execution of the Columbus event location of our annual conference, July 12-14, 2013. Attendance (all hours paid) will be required throughout that weekend.
Ideal candidates will have a high level of attention to detail, be quick learners, and be good at working independently once oriented to a task.
Application Instructions
To apply for any of these internships, please send the following materials to 2013interns@secularstudents.org. Applications are due no later than February 17, 2013. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Answers to the screening questions below
A writing sample or portfolio (see final screening question)
Two References: one work or activist reference, and one academic reference (name, phone number and email address)
Your resume (optional)
Please suggest three (or more) one hour-long blocks of time when you would be able to arrange a phone, Skype or in-person interview (weekends and evenings are okay, but not ideal)
Screening Questions
Which of the internships (writing, design, or communications) are you interested in? Why are you interested in these internships?
Where are you a student? What are you studying? When do you plan to graduate?
What was your college GPA? Is there anything you’d like to say about it? (If different from the normal 4.0 scale, please describe.)
When would you be available to put in your ten weeks?
How do you expect to benefit from the internship?
Will this internship fulfill an academic requirement for you? If so, what conditions must the internship meet in order for it to qualify?
What are your long-term career goals? How does this internship fit into your long-term plans?
Can you prove that you are either a citizen of the United States, or a legal worker and permanent resident?
Have you been involved in some form of student activism or secular student organizations? Off-campus freethought organizations? If so, briefly describe.
Are you willing to be publicly known as a supporter of the freethought movement? (The two most controversial elements of that movement being: 1. promoting respect and equal rights for atheists, agnostics, humanists and others who do not believe in a god AND 2. profound skepticism of supernatural claims.)
Do you have any reservations about collaborating with people who are much older or younger than you, or are of a different ethnic group, sexual orientation, or philosophical or political belief?
What experience(s) from your activist/volunteer work or paid work experience do you expect to help you most for this internship? Why?
From what you know about the SSA, what do you like best?
From what you know about the SSA, what would you most like to see improve?
Is there anything else you would like to make us aware of as we consider your application?
Portfolio or writing sample. Where relevant, projects created for classes are completely acceptable.
Graphic Design Internship: Please provide a portfolio of your design work. We are specifically interested in visual presentation, rather than artistic creativity. Links to online portfolios are preferred to individual files.
Writing/Resource Development Internship: Please provide a sample of your writing that demonstrates your ability to communicate complex information in an easy-to-read presentation. This may be an original writing sample provided for this application or may be a previously written project.
Communications Internship: Please provide (1) a short writing sample of persuasive writing (advocating one side or point of view), and (2) a sample press release announcing that the Secular Student Alliance has just reached 500 campus groups. Feel free to use any information you find online or invent your own details.
The Secular Student Alliance supports a rapidly growing network of several hundred atheist, agnostic, and humanist groups on high school and college campuses. Our mission is to organize, unite, educate, and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human-based ethics. The Secular Student Alliance is a 501(c)(3) educational, non-profit, public charity. We were founded in 2000 by students and recent students. We are headquartered in Columbus, OH.