We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This internship is only open to undergraduate students with a declared or proposed major or minor in the Humanities Division and requires work authorization.
Application Deadline: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Internship Term: January 2026–August 2026
The Humanities Experiential Career Exploration and Learning (EXCEL) Program connects undergraduate Humanities majors and minors with community partners for paid internships. Fellows gain valuable professional experience while exploring potential career paths.
We have two internships with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music:
Internship Details
Partner Organization: Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
Location: Hybrid
- UCSC Humanities funds a Zipcar account to cover car transportation for students age 18+. Please review our transportation guide to learn about your options for traveling off campus.
Duration: January 2026–August 2026
Hours: 10–15 hours/week
Pay: $20/hour
Mentorship: Regular check-ins and support from professional staff at the organization. You will report to Sam Barrow, the Operations Manager, or Steph Sherwood, Director of Communications and Patron Engagement.
What You’ll Do – Community Engagement Coordinator
The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music seeks an enthusiastic and organized intern to serve as Community Engagement Coordinator. This position will be crucial in expanding our community outreach and recognition initiatives and engaging diverse audiences with contemporary orchestral music.
The fellow will engage in a work process with their supervisor to create a more tailored experience relating to their professional development goals. The tasks and responsibilities outlined below are general and may or may not encompass all projects.
- General 2026 Season Promotion and Implementation (30%):
- Assist in developing and executing marketing strategies for the 2026 season
- Support the Director of Communications in implementing promotional campaigns
- Design a targeted marketing campaign for folks unfamiliar with orchestral music
- Help coordinate logistics for promotional events and activities
- Communications and Digital Media Support (20%)
- Support the development and implementation of digital marketing campaigns
- Contribute to the creation of digital media content (e.g., blog posts, videos, podcasts)
- Collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of communications efforts
- Community Partnerships and Outreach (20%)
- Research and identify potential community partners, with a focus on local businesses and organizations
- Support the development and implementation of strategies to expand community recognition and reach (e.g., tabling at community events, visibility campaigns, participation in events like Pride parade)
- Cultivate relationships with local businesses to secure program guide advertisements and in-kind donations such as services, goods, or support for festival events
- Coordinate with partners on cross-promotional opportunities
- Administrative (20%)
- Assist the Director of Communications with various administrative tasks
- Help maintain accurate records and databases
- Contribute to team meetings and organizational planning sessions- working collaboratively with the other interns, volunteers, and staff.
- Attend weekly check-ins with the Operations Manager and/or Communications Director to discuss progress and work tasks
- Humanities EXCEL Programming: Attend two cohort meetings each quarter when possible and participate in asynchronous Canvas experiential learning reflection.
Eligibility & Qualifications
REQUIRED Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- You must be a declared or proposed major or minor in a Humanities Division department and have good academic standing. If proposed, declare by June.
- Eligible majors: Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism, Classical Studies, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Feminist Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- Eligible minors: Black Studies, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, History of Consciousness, History, Italian Studies, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- You have work authorization (required)
- You can work independently and collaboratively (required)
- You can work in person on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons at least once a week.
- You can work independently and collaboratively (required)
- Interest in music and community outreach.
- Proficiency or willingness to learn social media platforms and basic graphic design tools like Canva.
- You are dependable, reliable, and highly collaborative.
- You can work independently, are organized, and can communicate effectively.
- You are comfortable interacting with the public and diverse communities.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Background and appreciation of music, arts, and culture
- You are bilingual in Spanish (a bonus but not required)
- You regularly use Google Calendar to manage your schedule.
- Familiarity with the local creative communities is a plus
How To Apply
- Updated resume
- 1-page cover letter, addressed to the Cabrillo Festival team, sharing:
- Why you’re interested in this role and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music (explore their website!)
- How your background and skills apply
- What you hope to gain from the experience
Review the resume and cover letter resources to ensure you are a strong candidate! For application help, see Humanities Career Engagement.
Questions? Email Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu.
The Humanities EXCEL program is led by the Humanities Division, with strategic support from The Humanities Institute and private donors. It is funded by the Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, and private donors.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct: