Paid fall & spring academic internships
The Center offers paid, 12-week academic internships each fall and spring. Fall internships run from mid-September to early December and spring internships run from mid-February to early May.
Internship basics
- All internships are paid at the rate of $15.50 per hour.
- Internships require an average of 10 hours per week (built around your school schedule) over 12 weeks (120 hours total).
- Internships offer academic credit.
- Each semester includes 8 professional development sessions.
- Internships offer hands-on work experiences and opportunities to build a professional network.
Requirements
Requirements for our fall/spring internships are:
- Interns must be authorized to work in the U.S. and must be 18 years of age or older.
- Interns must be registered for credit from their college institution.
- Interns must be able to complete a minimum of 120 hours during the 12-week internship.
- Interns must be available to attend professional development sessions from 2pm-3pm on Fridays. This cannot be changed or waived, so please confirm your availability before applying.
Internship positions
Internships may be available in the following departments (available internships vary by semester):
American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School
The American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts combines the resources of American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The school offers unrivaled opportunities for training and nurturing future generations of dancers and dance audiences. The ABT Gillespie School intern will assist with projects related to the school’s Spring events and learn the day to day tasks which include learning Tessitura, an order management software. The intern’s responsibilities will include general administrative duties and participation in the annual Showcase. Due to class-time offerings, the intern should be available on weeknights and weekends.
Community Engagement & Studio D
The Community Engagement department works to deepen Segerstrom Center’s relationships and expand our reach into the community. The Community Engagement intern will assist with projects related to our community-based partnerships throughout Orange County; coordinating and implementing community-wide events and increasing awareness of the Center and its work in the community. The intern’s responsibilities will include general administrative duties, participation in events and meetings at the Center and throughout Orange County, and event planning and implementation. Ability to speak more than one language is preferred but not required.
Studio D is a dance, music, and theater program for students of all abilities, including those with cognitive or physical disabilities. Classes are offered at the Center and at various offsite locations (therapy centers, schools, etc.). The Studio D intern will assist with reoccurring administrative tasks related to our Spring session, learning more about overall functionality and structure of a recreational arts program. They will also support new initiatives and research as we deepen our work within the arts and disabilities communities. A background in arts education is preferred and knowledge in inclusive programming is a plus. Ability to speak more than one language is preferred but not required.
Development & Special Events
The innovative and exciting education and community engagement programs the Center offers would not be possible without charitable contributions from the community. The Development Department manages these important relationships with donors. The Development Department intern will assist several teams within the Development Department to help reach fundraising goals including Individual Giving, Grants & Foundations, Support Groups, Corporate Relations, and Special Events. The Development intern will gain experience in the non-profit world and support the team in raising $10+ million annually. Responsibilities will include creating and editing proposals and letters, donor mailings, general research, stewardship phone calls and helping with special events such as opening night dinners, Dance Series Cast Parties, Broadway Series Behind the Scenes events and fundraising galas and dinners.
Education
The Center's Education Department reaches over 300,000 individuals each year with a variety of programs designed to create sustainable creative arts experiences for children, teachers and families. The Education intern will gain hands on experience in many aspects of arts education by working on such programs as Segerstrom Center’s On Stage and Family Series performances, Disney Musicals in Schools and Arts Teach. Assignments may include planning and facilitating kid friendly pre- show activities, welcoming and assisting students and teachers for field trip performances, helping with masterclasses and teacher professional development sessions and researching and editing educational materials such as study guides, brochures and evaluations. Internship is greatly enhanced by attending events, which may include some weekend and evening events.
Marketing & Communications
Areas: General Marketing, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Public Relations, Graphic Design
The Center’s Marketing and Communications interns work within the marketing and communications department to promote activities at the Center through a variety of integrated campaigns and activities, including print, television, radio and online advertising; direct marketing; public relations; e-mail communications and other strategic initiatives. Interns receive hands-on experience in a variety of marketing tasks and are exposed to the process of creating and implementing the Center's marketing and public relations strategies. A marketing internship may involve such tasks as managing the creating and distribution of promotional materials, trafficking materials and projects, promoting productions at community events, attending department meetings, assisting with media relations, participating in social media efforts, maintaining records, conducting market research and other administrative duties. Marketing interns have unique opportunities to work press nights alongside PR staff, see their writing in printed advertising materials, assist on social media coverage of dozens of exciting events, and more!
Theater Operations
Theater Operations encompasses all aspects of facilities and operations including production, event operations, engineering, security, and administration. An internship in theater operations will de-mystify the "behind-the-scenes" aspect of what it takes to operate a performing arts facility. Interns will have the opportunity to engage with the Center’s staff in areas including show preparation, backstage operations, event installation, special events and rental procedures, building security, and facilities maintenance. Due to the variety of shows and events at the Center, interns should be available on nights and weekends.
Professional development sessions
Our fall and spring interns will have the unique opportunity to meet with Segerstrom Center’s executive and senior staff from all major departments throughout their internship. These professional development sessions will educate students on the duties of various departments and positions and how they work together to fulfill the Center’s mission. Through these sessions, interns will gain an understanding of various career pathways in arts administration as well as the overall structure of a non-profit organization.
How to apply: