Community Engaged Internship Program

 

Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in coastal and marine science research is an important programmatic priority for Maryland Sea Grant and the National Sea Grant College Program. To further this priority, the National Sea Grant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Traditional and Local Knowledge (TLK) communities of practice have implemented the Sea Grant Community-Engaged Internship (CEI) program for undergraduate students since 2020. CEI is designed to specifically engage students from underrepresented and indigenous communities.

The overarching goal of this internship program is to broaden participation in marine and coastal professions by providing training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision makers, and community members. The program will do so by recruiting, retaining, and engaging diverse students in place-based research, extension, education, and/or communication that respects and integrates local ways of knowing. As such, we encourage applications from students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals from minority serving institutions, and individuals from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in STEM.

Open CEI Positions

Community Engaged Communications Intern at Maryland Sea Grant

The Maryland Sea Grant (MDSG) intern will be mentored by the assistant director for communications, Annalise Kenney, and will work with our team of science communicators. The intern will assist in developing content that ties into our upcoming issue of Maryland Sea Grant's Chesapeake Quarterly magazine, as well as other MDSG communications outlets. The CEI intern will be embedded in the magazine project as our team of science writers and graphic designer develop stories, carry out research and reporting, and interview subjects. 

The intern will have opportunities to research and develop stories based on their communications specialties and interests, with a focus on learning about and sharing information about the communities that interact with the Chesapeake Bay. Some projects the intern may work on include short videos, photo essays, and science writing. The intern may also assist with the planning, production, and posting of other communications products developed by the communications team during the internship period. This internship is available to students with experience and/or interest in science communications, videography and photography, and science writing. 

How to Apply

Interested students are required to submit an application through our application portal by Monday, April 15, 2024. From the landing page, or under the 'Internship' tab, choose the Community Engaged Communications Intern position and enter or upload the requested information:  

• Applicant Information
• Personal and Career Goals Statement (up to 500 words that describes what skills and experience you will bring to the internship and how this internship will help you achieve your long-term career goals)
• Additional short answer questions
• Resume
• Transcript (unofficial undergraduate transcripts released to student acceptable, electronic PDF or hard copy)
• Example of your work
• Two references

Location, Stipend, and Support

The internship will start after Memorial Day and is based out of College Park, Maryland. The internship will be hybrid, with time spent onsite in the MDSG offices, working remotely, and visiting other sites in the Bay area. The 10-week internship includes a stipend of $6,000. 

Eligibility

You must be a current undergraduate from a Maryland or District of Columbia college or university seeking a degree in natural, social, or environmental sciences, environmental policy, or communications/writing fields. 

Networking and Professional Development

The intern will join a network of students participating in similar programs across the country. Interns will be connected to professional development opportunities through Maryland Sea Grant and other Sea Grant programs to expose the participants to career opportunities in Sea Grant and NOAA, and provide them with professional development to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities in ocean, coastal, and marine science disciplines and science communication.

Previous Interns

Sydney Sauls

Sydney Sauls, an undergraduate from Howard University, joined Maryland Sea Grant as a summer community engaged science communication intern in 2024. Originally from Baltimore, she's passionate about urban ecology and environmental justice, aiming to mitigate food deserts in urban areas. Sydney worked with the communications team on the fall 2024 issue of Chesapeake Quarterly magazine about blue catfish. She completed a literature review, carried out interviews, and conceptualized and storyboarded a comic illustrating the effects of aquatic invasive species on ecosystems. Sydney also contributed to On the Bay blog, publishing a reflection on her journey in science and a profile on MDSG's aquaculture projects specialist and a major aquaculture siting project.

Ashton Guildener

Ashton Guildener, an undergraduate from University of Maryland, College Park, joined Maryland Sea Grant as a summer science communication and outreach intern in 2022. They shot video for a video/multimedia project with our education department. Ashton, an environmental science and policy major, also wrote a blog post and interviewed MDSG's Knauss fellows. The communications team used this material to put together a multimedia piece on our social media channels.

Yazan Hasan

Yazan Hasan, an undergraduate from University of Maryland, College Park, joined Maryland Sea Grant as a summer science communication and outreach intern in 2021. He completed the internship virtually for the first part of the summer, then did some shooting in the field for his video project for the final two weeks of the program. Yazan, an environmental science and technology major, assisted the MDSG communication and education teams with photography needs, social media campaigns, and multimedia education content. He also wrote a blog post and researched and shot a series of videos on the impacts of salt water intrusion on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, which can be viewed below. See some of his other work completed during his internship on this online portfolio.

Logan Bilbrough

Logan Bilbrough, an undergraduate from Salisbury University, joined Maryland Sea Grant as a summer multimedia intern in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He completed the internship remotely via teleconference and carefully planned socially distanced shoots, assisting with photography needs, social media campaigns, and video production. He also wrote a blog post and researched and shot a film on a community restoration project in the the town of Templeville, Maryland, which can be viewed below. See some of his other work completed during his internship on this online portfolio.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact:

Annalise Kenney
Assistant Director for Communications

Maryland Sea Grant College
5825 University Research Court, Suite 1350
College Park, Maryland 20740
E-mail: akenney@mdsg.umd.edu