The Gilder Lehrman Institute is excited to launch the 2023 Summer Internship Program! Students from all over the country will take part in a variety of engaging internships, gaining valuable experience in museum collection management, educational programming, and nonprofit operations.
Interns will be paid $15 per hour. Start and end dates are flexible depending on the needs of the department and the intern.
Each description indicates whether the internship is designed for high school students or college students (and beyond). Each description also specifies whether the position is remote or in-person. If an internship is in-person, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required.
Affiliate School Intern
Department: Educational Programs Department
Internship Term: June 1, 2023–August 31, 2023
Hours per Week: 20
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Affiliate School Program is a network of nearly 34,000 K–12 schools all over the world that receive free and exclusive resources from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
- In support of the Affiliate School Program (ASP), the intern will perform the following duties:
- Handle Affiliate data management and contribute to impact reports
- Compile a list of school districts and networks for outreach
- Assist with mailing books, calendars, and posters
Desired Skills:
- Experience in data management and databases
- Attention to detail
- Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office
Skills to be Developed:
- Data management
- Research and reporting
- Time management
- Budgeting and feedback assessment
- Outreach and networking
APPLICATION FORM
Book Breaks Intern
Department: Educational Programs Department
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 10
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- Book Breaks is a weekly interview series with historians held every Sunday at 2 pm ET on Zoom. Each week a host interviews a renowned scholar about their most recent book, followed by a Q&A with the at-home audience.
- In support of the Book Breaks program, the Book Breaks Intern will perform the following duties:
- Assist one Sunday per month with live sessions as a Zoom Q&A moderator
- Send Professional Development certificates to participants after each Book Breaks session
- Help manage the Book Breaks email inbox by responding to inquiries
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail, quick thinking, and professionalism on camera
- Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office
- US History major or minor
Skills to be Developed:
- Public speaking, facilitating Q&A sessions, expertise in American history, and administrative skills
- Zoom, Google Suite, Salesforce, and Excel
APPLICATION FORM
Collection Document Scanning Intern
Department: Gilder Lehrman Collection
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 20
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: In-Person (proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required)
Internship Description:
- The Gilder Lehrman Collection is an archive of more than 85,000 items that cover 500 years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to the modern era.
- In support of the Gilder Lehrman Collection, the intern will perform the following duties:
- Scan newly acquired historical documents at the office of the Gilder Lehrman Collection in New York City, located within the New-York Historical Society (170 Central Park West)
- Process the images using Adobe Photoshop and utilize best practices for image management
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail and proficiency with image editing software
- Experience with Photoshop or scanning software a plus
Skills to be Developed:
- Digitization and workflow management
- Adobe Photoshop
APPLICATION FORM
DECLARATION AT 250 INTERN
Department: Academic Strategy
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 15
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Hybrid remote and in-person (proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required)
Internship Description:
- “The Declaration at 250” is a multi-year, broad-based initiative by the Gilder Lehrman Institute to recognize the importance of the Declaration of Independence in the history of America, and of the world. The initiative will produce resources and programs that explore various themes inspired by the Declaration.
- In support of the Director of Academic Strategy, the Declaration at 250 Intern will perform the following duties:
- Assist with web page design and the use of ArcGIS StoryMaps
- Coordinate with the Gilder Lehrman Collection to secure image use permissions
- Review text on the Gilder Lehrman website
Desired Skills:
- History major with a good working knowledge of American history and historiography
Skills to be Developed:
- Creating narratives using primary sources
- Writing for different audiences while using correct citations
- Following copyright laws and obtaining permissions
- Using ArcGIS StoryMaps
APPLICATION FORM
DEVELOPMENT INTERN
Department: Development
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 20
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- In support of the Development Department that is charged with raising $5 million per year, the intern will perform the following duties:
- Salesforce data entry and cleanup
- Donor research
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail
- Experience with Salesforce or WealthEngine a plus
Skills to be Developed:
- Fundraising data management
- Non-profit fundraising operations
APPLICATION FORM
GRAPHIC DESIGN Intern
Department: Marketing
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 20
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Marketing Department ensures that teachers, students, and the general public will learn more about the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s wide variety of programs and events.
- In support of the Marketing Department, the Graphic Design Intern will perform the following duties:
- Create original, compelling, creative, and eye-catching designs—including images for social media, email campaign templates, and products for the Gilder Lehrman History Shop
- Bring a fresh look to the Institute's branding and an understanding of how to use design to make an organization's resources and programs stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace (in this case, the K–12 education sphere)
Desired Skills:
- Graphic design experience
- Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud
Skills to be Developed:
- The use of creative graphic design and messaging to build market share and brand awareness
APPLICATION FORM
HISTORY SCHOOL INTERN
Department: Educational Programs Department
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 15
Student Type: High School, Undergraduate, or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- History School features online classes led by master teachers who present lessons anchored in primary sources, many from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, an archive of over 85,000 American history documents. Courses are targeted to upper elementary, middle, and high school students, and are presented live on Zoom.
- In support of the History School program, the intern will perform the following duties:
- Moderate Zoom chats and assist in technical troubleshooting as needed during History School live sessions (dates and times TBD). Interns will co-moderate with a staff member for the first 5–10 minutes of each session and then be the sole moderator for the remainder of each session.
- Pull attendance records and update information in the Institute’s learning management system
- Assist with History School email inbox management
- Provide initial review and correction of citations on slides before handing off to History School lead and Editorial team
- Download and archive Zoom session recordings to add to video server, Dropbox, and Vimeo
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Working knowledge of Google Suite and Zoom
- Basic knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style
Skills to be Developed:
- Student programming and distance learning
- Presentation, editing, and research skills
- Zoom, TalentLMS (learning management system), Excel, Google Suite, PowerPoint, and Salesforce (contact management system)
APPLICATON FORM
MA PROGRAM INTERN
Department: MA Program
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 10
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute partners with Gettysburg College to offer a master’s degree in American History. It is an online, fully accredited, 30-credit degree program.
- In support of the master’s degree program, the MA Intern will perform the following duties:
- Assist with administrative tasks
- Format syllabi, slides, and other materials for use in MA courses
- Answer inquiries from current and prospective students
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail, excellent written and oral communication skills, and strong interpersonal skills
- Familiarity with learning management systems a plus
- Interest in a teaching career
Skills to be Developed:
- Experience facilitating Q&A sessions
- Google Suite, Salesforce, and Excel
APPLICATION FORM
NONPROFIT ACCOUNTING AND HUMAN RESOURCES Intern
Department: Finance & HR
Internship Term: July 3, 2023–August 31, 2023
Hours per Week: 15
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Finance Department manages the accounting and human resources of a dynamic nonprofit organization.
- In support of the Finance Department, the intern will perform the following duties:
- Assist with accounts payable & receivable, investment reporting, and file maintenance
- Assist with human resources administration and reporting
- Take part in special projects as needed
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Microsoft Excel, Google Suite
- QuickBooks is a plus but not required
Skills to be Developed:
- Nonprofit financial and human resources management
- Project collaboration and professional-level communication
- QuickBooks, Excel, Google Suite, Salesforce database, and ClickTime
APPLICATION FORM
OFFICE OPERATIONS AND BOOK PRIZES INTERN
Department: Executive Office and Book Prizes
Internship Term: June 1, 2023–August 31, 2023
Hours per Week: 16
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate Student
Work Location: In-Person (proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required)
Internship Description:
- The Institute co-sponsors four annual national Book Prizes. Each recognizes the best book of the year in its field. The winner is honored at an award ceremony providing an opportunity for the public, including teachers and students, to hear the author speak.
- In support of the Book Prizes Manager, the Office Operations and Book Prizes Intern will do the following tasks:
- Process book submissions for the Book Prize Manager
- Pack and ship book submissions to jury members
- Assist with preparation for internal and external meetings, including Trustee meetings, by setting up furniture, assembling materials, arranging refreshments, and cleaning up as needed
- Handle other administrative matters (e.g. booking travel, photocopying, data entry, etc.) as needed
- The Office Operations and Book Prizes Intern will support day-to-day operations by performing the following duties:
- Greet guests courteously, answer questions by phone and email, direct people to the appropriate place or person
- Ensure the office is clean and operating smoothly
- Work with staff to keep common areas tidy
- Assist with coordination of office maintenance and cleaning services
- Place orders for office and cleaning supplies
- Coordinate mailing and shipping logistics: schedule mail pick ups, operate the postage machine, order packing materials, prepare packages to be shipped, drop off mail and packages at nearby USPS or FedEx locations
Desired Skills:
- Strong organizational and customer service skills
- Ability to handle boxes up to 30 lbs. in weight
- Proficiency with Zoom, Google Slides, Microsoft, Google Sheets, and Microsoft Excel
- Attention to detail
- Time management skills
- Good interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate in an appropriate and cordial manner over the phone
- Salesforce experience a plus
Skills to be Developed:
- Knowledge of how to input and retrieve data from Salesforce
- Experience in the setup of board/council meetings, office supply management, and the organization of Book Prize events
APPLICATION FORM
RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIONS Intern
Department: Gilder Lehrman Collection
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 18, 2023
Hours per Week: 30
Student Type: Undergraduate or Graduate School
Work Location: In-Person (proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required)
Internship Description:
- The Gilder Lehrman Collection is an archive of more than 85,000 items that cover 500 years of history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to the modern era. One of the main priorities of GLI’s mission is to make these American history artifacts accessible to the general public.
- GLI has created a wide variety of physical traveling exhibitions that are rented or purchased by schools and libraries across the United States. These informative, colorful exhibitions cover major topics in American history, and feature primary source documents, many from the Gilder Lehrman Collection.
- In support of the Collection’s Reference team, the intern will perform the following duties:
- Fulfill requests for reproduction copies and answer general reference emails
- Work with museum management software PastPerfect and assist with object catalog administration, which includes creating location guides, adding accession numbers, updating catalog records, and scanning historical documents
- Assist with the management of the traveling exhibition program
Desired Skills:
- Organization, attention to detail, and strong oral and written communication skills
- Basic computer literacy, including basic familiarity with Google Suite and Microsoft Word
Skills to be Developed:
- Program-specific technical skills, including image editing and file conversion
- Project management, knowledge of how museums organize information, and understanding of museum practices
- Salesforce, Adobe Acrobat, and PastPerfect
APPLICATION FORM
TEACHER Seminars INTERN
Department: Educational Programs Department
Internship Term: June 12, 2023–August 11, 2023
Hours per Week: 18
Student Type: High School, Undergraduate, or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute manages remote week-long Teacher Seminars for high school teachers throughout the summer that investigate a variety of topics.
- In support of the Institute’s Teacher Seminars program, the Teacher Seminars Intern will perform the following duties:
- Moderate Zoom chat and assist in technical troubleshooting as needed during seminar live sessions (taking place 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 1 p.m.–3 p.m., 3 p.m.–5 p.m, and 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Eastern Time—each intern will have their own designated time block). Interns will co-moderate with a seminar production lead on the GLI staff for the first 15–20 minutes of each session and then be the sole moderator for the remainder of the session.
- As needed, moderate Zoom chat and assist in technical troubleshooting during lectures live-streamed from in-person seminars (as above, co-moderating with a program manager on the GLI staff for the first 15–20 minutes and then serving as the sole moderator from that point on)
- Pull attendance records and update in TalentLMS or Salesforce Campaigns (as applicable)
- Create certificates as needed for Special Topics in History sessions and in-person seminar livestreams as assigned
- Provide initial review and correction of citations on scholar and master teacher slides before handing off to Seminars production lead and Editorial team
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail, ability to communicate well with others, comfort with speaking to a group in a virtual setting, and good time management
- Previous use of Zoom, Google Slides/Microsoft PowerPoint, and Google Sheets/Microsoft Excel preferred
Skills to be Developed:
- Produce live programming on Zoom and effectively moderate Zoom chats and the deployment of polls
- Learn more about a variety of topics in American history from scholars and master teachers in the field
- Zoom, TalentLMS (learning management system), Salesforce campaigns (contact management system), Slides, PowerPoint, Sheets, and Excel
APPLICATION FORM
TEACHER symposium INTERN
Department: Educational Programs Department
Internship Term: June 1, 2023–July 31, 2023
Hours per Week: 15
Student Type: High School, Undergraduate, or Graduate Student
Work Location: Remote
Internship Description:
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute hosts an in-person Teacher Symposium from July 16, 2023 through July 19, 2023 at Gettysburg College for high school teachers. The event includes lectures, book talks, field trips, and classroom resources.
- In support of the Institute’s Teacher Symposium, the Teacher Symposium Intern will perform the following duties:
- Assemble registration materials for Symposium participants including lesson plans, schedules, on-site instructions, and name tags
- Assist with gathering and packing materials to be shipped to Gettysburg College
- Upload materials to the Learning Management System
- Provide general support in preparation for the Teacher Symposium
Desired Skills:
- Attention to detail
- Experience with mail merge
- Basic data entry and tracking
- Google Suite and Excel; Canva experience a plus
Skills to be Developed:
- Experience planning large scale conferences, including the organization and preparation of registration materials
- Online management systems including TalentLMS (learning management system), Asana (project management system), and Salesforce (contact management system)
APPLICATION FORM
From previous GLI interns
“This has been a great experience and it's given me a lot more confidence that I can pursue a career in history outside of a strictly academic setting.”
“I felt that this internship provided an extremely inclusive environment. Even with the remote internship, I got to work with a wide variety of people who made me a part of the team and who were willing to answer any questions that I had or provide any other help that I required.”
“I felt welcomed and appreciated by my advisor! I loved that, despite my lack of experience, my opinions were asked and considered throughout GLI projects.”
“It is not just the interest in history that makes the internship so enjoyable, it is also the friendly people who make GLI amazing.”
“I believe that I learned extremely valuable professional skills from this internship. My position allowed me to experience a bit of everything – market research, database management, Salesforce, Drupal, etc. I reference this a lot with other potential employers and they are always impressed. The internship helped me learn what it is like to try to balance both work and school and how to communicate professionally.”
“This is my first internship, but of all my past extracurricular experiences, I have felt most respected at GLI. I appreciated that staff welcomed my suggestions rather than simply expecting me to follow instructions. I also liked the weekly check-in meetings as they helped keep me on track.”
To Apply
- Complete the application form for the internship you would like to apply for.
- Attach a resume and cover letter that answers:
- Why are you interested in this internship?
- Why would you like to work for the Gilder Lehrman Institute?
The application deadline is Friday, March 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
For questions regarding the 2023 Summer Internship Program, please email internships@gilderlehrman.org.
After submitting your application, please ensure that you have received a confirmation email from internships@gilderlehrman.org. If you have not received this official confirmation email, please contact internships@gilderlehrman.org. If you have received an error message, please email support@gilderlehrman.org and include a screenshot or the exact text of the error message.