Graduate Internships
We’re excited to about a new initiative to help our MA students in English explore a range of career options. We have organized four new internships, at The Mississippi Quarterly, at the A&S Grants Office, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, and the Mississippi Humanities Council and Mississippi Book Festival. Three of these four internships take place right on campus; the Humanities Council internship is based in Jackson. We hope to add additional internships in the future.
Each internship pays $15/hour, but they vary in their scheduling during the summer and the amount of time each week that they would like from the intern. Overall, they range between 50 and 300 hours over the course of the summer. There is no credit towards graduation for these internships. They don’t include a tuition stipend, since you are unlikely to have enough time to do the internship and take a summer class.
To apply, explain your interest in one (or more) internship(s) to Professor Claggett in a letter that outlines your qualifications for the position(s); please also include a resume. She will be in touch with the internship hosts to arrange for interviews. Application letters are due by April 1, 2020.
The Mississippi Quarterly
The summer internship at Mississippi Quarterly will involve training in various aspects of the journal’s production and assisting in preparation of an upcoming special issue focused on Mass Incarceration in the US South. The plan is for the summer intern to become the graduate assistant for the 2021-2022 academic year. The schedule for the summer internship is 8-10 hours per week for either the first or second summer term. For the graduate assistantship, the schedule is 10 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. Duties will include quote-checking for accuracy (format and content); assisting with layout, design, and permissions for images; and proofreading and copyediting. Only students who are interested in both positions should apply.
College of Arts and Sciences Grants Office
The grants specialists assist faculty with identifying funding opportunities, developing proposals, and routing of internal approvals. They also perform research administration, program implementation and/or data analytic-related tasks. Possible tasks for the Research Support Team Intern include:
• Identify/Assist in the development of limited submissions/concept papers
• Website: write spot-light articles, news, and researcher of the month
• Search Grantswatch, Academic Analytics for relevant funding opportunities
• Investigative work - Data Analytics modules to identify collaborations and/or answer questions of ORED or collaborating agencies/institutions
• Generate summaries, graphics (ROI) – E.g. analyze SRI, ACADEX, GSTS results of support
• Use results of support to help brand/sell our programs to donors
• Assist in the development of a formalized undergrad research support program
The A&S Grants office is willing to shape some of these assignments based on the intern’s interest. This position should run the full summer, from early June through early August, and may be up to 300 hours.
Last year’s Grants Office intern made a short video about the job and his experience: https://youtu.be/7KNGIN0cpIs
Mississippi Humanities Council
The Mississippi Humanities Council is a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi. MHC supports and conducts a wide range of programs designed to create opportunities for Mississippians to learn about themselves and the larger world and enrich communities through civil conversations about our history and culture. The Mississippi Book Festival, a nonprofit founded by literacy advocates, launched in August 2015 on the State Capitol grounds and continues to draw thousands to its annual “literary lawn party” and book lovers’ celebration.
MHC and MBF will co-host an intern for summer 2020 to work in their Jackson offices. The intern will split time between the two organizations.
For the MHC, duties may include:
• Assist staff with planning and promotion of various public humanities programs
• Attend and review council-supported programs around the state
• Assist with review of grant applications and project reports
• Assist with social media, website, and communications about council programs
• Help with creation of new family reading curriculum
• General administrative tasks
For the Mississippi Book Festival, duties may include:
• Assist with festival planning
• Help coordinate author travel and assist with panelist hospitality
• Assist with coordination of statewide kick-off events
• Be available at the festival on August 14-15 to help with a variety of assignments
This internship will provide a student the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience in cultural nonprofit operations and in organizing large-scale public humanities programs.
This full-time internship is from June to August Intern will need to be based in Jackson.
Qualifications:
• Major study in a humanities discipline preferred
• Basic computer skills, advanced skills a plus
• Strong organizational and writing skills
• Effective communication skills