Intern - Advancement and Events

TITLE: Intern - Advancement and Events 

LOCATION: Minnesota History Center - 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102

COMPENSATION: $16.50 hourly

HOURS: This is a part-time, temporary position from approximately June 8, 2026 to August 30, 2026. A part-time intern must be available to work 15 hours per week. This position offers a flexible work schedule, coordinated with the intern’s school schedule and operational needs. Preferred working hours are three shifts, five hours each, between working hours of 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

POSTING DATE: March 3, 2026

DEADLINE DATE: March 23, 2026

SEMINAR EVENTS: Interns are required to participate in three, in-person seminars focused on professional development, learning how cultural organizations operate, and building a network of industry professionals. At the end of the semester, interns complete a final presentation to share their work.

           Please ensure you are available for these dates when applying:

• Thursday, June 18 from 11:30am-1:00pm

• Thursday, July 21 from 1:00-3:00pm

• Thursday, August 13 from 3:30-5:30pm

• Final Presentations: Thursday, August 27 from 11:00am-1:00pm

TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a cover letter, resume, and any required additional materials by the application deadline date.  

ADDITIONAL APPLICATION MATERIALS: 

• Writing samples will be accepted, but are not required.

DESCRIPTION:  The Advancement and Events Intern works closely with Membership Director, Event Coordinator, Membership Assistant, Development Officers, and the Operations and Research Manager. The Advancement Department exists to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward individuals, companies, and foundations interested in supporting the Minnesota Historical Society through membership or donations. As an intern, you will be assisting the core teams of the Advancement and Membership Department—Membership and Events, Major Gifts, Research and Prospect Management, Corporation Sponsorships, Foundations, Legacy Giving, Gifts Processing. The internship will provide substantial support in nonprofit membership and event work, and advancement, while gaining valuable experience working in one of the nation's leading historical societies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  1) Support the planning and execution of in-person and virtual fundraising and membership events (some travel required); 2) Collaborate on CRM initiatives and database optimization projects, 3) Draft and edit donor and prospect communications - for documents that will be provided to MNHS donors, 4) Provide support for membership phone coverage, by delivering quality customer service while strengthening member and donor relations, 5) Gather information and data to submit into the CRM database. Ensure all information and data is accurate before submission; 6) Assist with preparation and execution of fundraising and membership mailings; 7) Conduct prospect research on individuals, foundations, and corporate donors to identify potential sources for funding support; 8) Provide cross-departmental support to the Advancement team on special projects.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months at the time of application.

• Ideal candidates might be currently pursuing, or a graduate with a degree in the following areas: Communications, journalism, writing, public or nonprofit administration, library and information science, marketing and public relations.

• Some experience in customer service with the potential to communicate with donors and members.

• Project management skills along with being detail-oriented.

• Familiarity with or willingness to learn a variety of CRM and research-related databases.

• Ability to write and communicate clearly and accurately. 

• Passion for professional writing. 

• Comfortable with taking on multiple tasks and working as part of a team and independently.

• Interest in a potential career in the nonprofit industry, especially in member-facing relations and special events.

• Working knowledge of the Google Drive suite, including Google Docs, Calendar, Mail, and Sheets.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, including Word, Excel, etc. 

• Experience with research and the tenacity to uncover hard-to-find information.

• Some AV experience is preferred.

• Some experience with in-person or virtual events preferred.

Should you have questions with the application process, email internships@mnhs.org or call 651-259-3191.   

At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, interns, volunteers, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.