Programs Intern

Location: Hybrid, New York, NY

Duration: November 2025 - April 2026 (5 months)

Stipend: $1,200/mo

Time Commitment: 20 hours/week; schedule may be adjusted around academic commitments

Focus Area: Reading & Discussion Focus + Content Development

About the Opportunity

Humanities New York (HNY) seeks an intellectually curious and detail-oriented Programs Intern to join our team this winter. This internship offers a unique opportunity for a student or early-career professional interested in public humanities, history, literature, and education—and the daily tasks associated with non-profit work that enable these larger interests to reach the public—especially those drawn to the ways that reading, dialogue, and cultural programming strengthen civic life.

At Humanities New York, conversation is at the heart of our work—our programs use dialogue and shared reflection to strengthen the civic fabric of New York State. For decades, HNY’s Reading & Discussion program has brought New Yorkers together in libraries, museums, and community spaces through curated book lists that explore vital humanistic themes. Participants have reflected on topics such as food politics in America, Indigenous perspectives on the American Revolution, and the long struggle for women’s suffrage. Each discussion series provides both a scholarly foundation and an accessible entry point for public reflection—connecting ideas and history to lived experience, and centering the “public” in public humanities.

Now, as Humanities New York reimagines the Reading & Discussion program to meet the needs of our contemporary society, the Programs Intern will play a critical role in both supporting and helping shape this next phase. For example, in recognition of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, HNY is developing a new theme—Revolution—that will guide programming through 2026. This theme will bridge Reading & Discussion with Community Conversations and other programmatic models, exploring how dialogue itself can be revolutionary in renewing civic trust.

This internship is ideal for students or emerging professionals passionate about connecting ideas to action—those excited to engage with texts, communities, and the design of humanities-centered public programs.

Applicants interested in broader program logistics and grantmaking should also review our Programs & Operations Internship.

Key Responsibilities

Program Implementation & Administration

• Support public presentation and formatting of Reading & Discussion toolkits, guides, and resource materials.
• Help manage HNY’s book inventory and coordinate distribution of texts to partner organizations through HNY’s lending library.
• Maintain and update databases of program partners, discussion facilitators, and participant organizations.
• Provide logistical support for Community Conversations events and related virtual programming.

Communications & Documentation

• Draft concise and engaging program materials, such as summaries, short essays, or digital resource entries.
• Assist with data entry, reporting, and documentation to support evaluation and internal learning.
• Help ensure that HNY’s program resources are clear, accessible, and visually aligned with organizational standards.

Program Development & Research

• Contribute ideas to the development and refinement of Reading & Discussion themes (particularly around “Revolution” and related subtopics such as memory, language, and belonging).
• Assist in connecting Reading & Discussion with other HNY program models, including Community Conversations and In Common: A Humanities Forum.
• Conduct research on potential texts, discussion frameworks, and community engagement strategies.
• Participate in internal brainstorming sessions and help articulate theoretical underpinnings of program design.

Qualifications

• Strong interest in the humanities, civic engagement, and public dialogue.
• Academic background or coursework in History, Literature, Education, Museum Studies, or Public Humanities.
• Excellent writing, editing, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively, think creatively, and manage details with care.
• Comfort with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace; familiarity with digital publishing or layout software a plus.
• Demonstrated curiosity about how ideas circulate beyond academic spaces and shape public life.

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience with program design and implementation in a leading state humanities organization.
• Exposure to the practical and theoretical foundations of public humanities work, including dialogue facilitation and community engagement.
• Opportunities to contribute ideas to statewide programming, including the 2026 “Revolution” theme.
• Mentorship and guidance from Humanities New York’s Programs team.
• A deeper understanding of how humanities programs foster reflection, fairness, and civic connection across diverse New York communities.