Botanic Garden Summer Internship
The Botanic Garden of Smith College offers eight-week paid summer internships that provide critical training and insight into the tasks and skills associated with managing a public garden.
The summer internship program at the botanic garden is situated within a responsive curricular framework that includes experiential learning beyond the campus and the opportunity to pursue one’s own individual research project. For the past two decades, students have worked on their unique projects with a faculty member, as well as with support from botanic garden staff, and in collaboration among their cohort.
Throughout the summer, interns work between gardens, receiving guidance and mentorship from Smith’s expert staff. The scope of this work requires outside and in-greenhouse tasks that can be physically demanding, particularly in the summer months.
Students leave a longstanding imprint on the building and maintenance of the botanic garden’s outdoor plant collections and the conservatory. Their responsibilities include landscape installation, transplanting, pruning, propagation, weed management, integrated pest management, plant identification, public outreach, and collections management and record keeping.
The eight-week internship runs from either the last week of May or first week of June to July 24. A 35-hour work week may include occasional weekend hours. Please contact Manager of Engagement Anjali D'Souza for more information.
The summer internship application can be found here. Candidates who submit thoughtful cover letters will be prioritized. Inquiries should be made by February 1.