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
The Humanities EXCEL Program connects undergraduate Humanities majors and minors with community partners for paid internships. Fellows gain valuable professional experience while exploring potential career paths.
Internship Details
Partner Organization: CA State Parks, Mission State Historic Park
Location: In Person 144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Duration: Academic Year 2025–26
Hours: 10-15 hours/week
Pay: $20/hour
Mentorship: Regular check-ins and support from Julie Sidel, Interpreter I
What You’ll Do – Cultural Interpretation & Education
This internship is your chance to bring history to life. At the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park—the only surviving building of the Mission Complex, built by Ohlone and Yokuts people—you’ll help visitors grapple with California’s complex past. Through storytelling, education, and cultural interpretation, you’ll connect communities to the lived experiences of Indigenous people and the legacies of colonization.
- Program Delivery (40%): Research, develop, and present interpretive tours and programs for school students and the public. Develop a deep knowledge base of relevant history and anthropological information. Develop group management and presentation skills. Develop your own interpretive voice as a presenter. Program management involves setting up, cleaning up, and maintaining program materials. Involves heavy lifting up to 20 pounds.
- Digital Communication & Outreach (20%): With support from staff, create social media campaigns and digital content (using Canva, Adobe, Google tools) to engage diverse audiences and expand access to public history.
- Customer Service & Interpersonal Communication (15%): Welcome guests at the Visitor Center, provide orientation and resources, and develop interpersonal communication skills in a public-facing role. Provide retail service.
- Museum & Interpretive Landscape Stewardship (15%): Assist with artifact cleaning and preservation, exhibit upkeep, and hands-on stewardship of the Mission’s historic gardens and grounds. You’ll assist with watering, weeding, composting, and maintaining garden beds that reflect Indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and Californio plantings, each tied to different cultural eras of the site. Through this work, you’ll explore the intersection of history, environment, and culture—deepening visitors’ understanding of how Indigenous and colonial communities related to land and natural resources.
- Administrative Duties (5%): Administrative tasks, including record maintenance and data entry.
- Humanities EXCEL Programming (5%): Attend two cohort meetings each quarter when possible and participate in asynchronous Canvas experiential learning reflection.
What You’ll Learn
In this public humanities role, you’ll practice turning research into meaningful experiences for the public, strengthen your teaching and communication skills, and gain professional insight into careers in education, history, museums, and public service.
- Public Humanities Practice: Experience how history is interpreted for community audiences, particularly in the context of challenging histories.
- Teaching & Storytelling: Develop confidence leading groups, facilitating learning, and connecting with diverse audiences.
- Professional Skills: Strengthen communication, teamwork, organization, and digital outreach—all highly transferable to future careers.
- Career Exploration: Learn what it’s like to work in museums, CA state parks, cultural nonprofits, and public service.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- 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 have passed a (SCMSHP coded) Livescan after accepting the position (required)
- You can work independently and collaboratively (required)
- You are detail-oriented, organized, and enjoy working with complex information. (required)
- You manage your time well, meet deadlines, and work independently with minimal oversight. (required)
- You work well both independently and as part of a team, managing your time to stay on track. (required)
- Background in California History, Ethnic Studies, Anthropology, or preferred.
- Experience working with children preferred. Particularly, working with groups of children in formal or informal teaching situations is preferred.
- Social media: Experience creating social media posts to engage diverse audiences preferred.
- Ability to lift and carry 20 lbs, ability to stand and walk for long periods. Ability to be outside in varied weather conditions
How To Apply
- Updated resume
- 1-page cover letter addressed to Julie Sidel sharing:
- Why you’re interested in this role and Mission State Historic Park (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 Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Humanities Institute, the UCSC Humanities Division, and private donors generously support the Humanities EXCEL Program.
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: