Home /

Call for Applications: Internship with Black Surf Santa Cruz 2024-2025, Social Media and Community Engagement

We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This role requires work authorization.

Application Deadline: October 13, 2024

The Humanities Division is excited to announce an experiential learning opportunity for Humanities undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz to work with Black Surf Santa Cruz!

Internships connect Humanities majors and minors to projects in the community to mutually benefit students and organizations. Students gain practical experience and professional training and learn about positions outside of the university that build on their studies in the Humanities. At the same time, community organizations benefit from students’ assistance and academic expertise.

About Black Surf Santa Cruz

black-surf-3.jpg Black surfers riding on their surfboards

Our mission is to " promote physical, spiritual, and communal healing through surfing, recreation, education, and wellness." BSSC centers Black community members and other historically and presently excluded people of color in its programming. It adheres to a guiding principle of "Let’s learn together" to invite the entire extended community in Santa Cruz County to create inclusive surf, ocean recreation, and marine sustainability spaces. Our program emphasizes joy and liberation and aims to increase mental well-being, feelings of belonging, and psychological safety, as well as the number of BIPOC enjoying surfing and associated outdoor and coastal recreational activities.

Job Title: Social Media and Community Engagement Intern

Internship Term : November 2024–August 31, 2025

Mandatory In-Person Dates:

  • 4 x 3 hour in-person weekday meetings per month. ( Dates TBD)
  • Sunday, Pop-Up Program: November 3rd, 2024, 1pm - 6pm
  • Friday, Pop-Up Program: November 15th, 2024, 1pm - 6pm
  • Sunday, Pop-Up Program: November 17th, 1pm - 6pm
  • 6-8 additional weekend program dates from Feb - June. (4-5 hrs each, Dates TBD)
  • 2025 Liberation Paddle Out (6-8 hrs, June 2025; Date TBD)

Hours : 15-20 hours/week

Compensation : $20/hour.

Location : Hybrid position. Applicants should be based in Santa Cruz County. This position is primarily remote when not supporting in-person programming at various beaches across Santa Cruz County and/or our downtown office space.

Reports to : Esabella Bonner, Founder and Executive Director of BSSC, and Christina Funck, Operations Manager.

Job Duties

Social Media & Communications [50%]

  • Assist with the design and execution of a strategic communications plan (social media, newsletters, website, mailers, memos, emails, campaign materials, etc.)
  • Assist with the design of marketing collateral (e.g., flyers, social media postings, etc.)
    • Create visually appealing content using Canva.
  • Design and execute social media campaigns.
    • Create and distribute content such as blogs, infographics, videos and press releases on social media and traditional news outlets.
    • Track social media engagement to identify high-performing ideas and campaigns for scalability.
  • Work to draft, distribute and pitch eNewsletter media alerts, and updating the BSSC website/socials with current events and relevant news.

Community Engagement [25%]

  • Represent Black Surf Santa Cruz at community events, pop-ups, and tabling opportunities.
  • Engage with the public to promote the organization's mission, programs, and initiatives, while fostering positive relationships and increasing visibility within the community.
  • Develop community contact documents and assist with promotion and outreach to BSSC partners and the public.
  • Engage with participants and get stories to share.

Administrative Tasks [25%]

  • Assist in coordinating and executing various operational and administrative tasks and projects as assigned by the Executive Director.
  • Assist with day-of-event logistics, post-event communication/ evaluation, compiling materials and other event-related activities.
  • Provide general administrative support to the organization, including managing schedules, arranging meetings, and maintaining files.
  • Other tasks and duties as needed.

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

  • You are a declared major or minor in a department in the Humanities Division, and you are in good academic standing. [required]
  • You have work authorization. [required]
  • You enjoy writing, and you are creative. Your friends might describe you as a storyteller .
  • You know the ins and outs of Google Suite, particularly Google Sheets (basic to intermediate skill level). You check your Gmail daily.
  • You’re tech-savvy and have experience working with social media platforms and tools (e.g. Meta Platforms, TikTok, Canva, Wix, etc.).
  • You’re comfortable working independently and with a team of collaborators in a hybrid remote/in-person workflow.
  • You are very organized and have a routine that helps you prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
  • You show excellent attention to detail and accuracy in completing tasks.
  • You’re committed to anti-racism.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

  • You have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • You’ve worked in an administrative role before (bonus).
  • You can and excited to work and learn in a dynamic "startup environment"
  • You show a problem-solving mindset and handle challenges proactively.
  • You have an understanding of the history of slavery, segregation, and how white supremacy affects modern-day society, specifically Santa Cruz.
  • You’re creative, self-motivated, self-driven, and pay attention to detail — you’re diligent and intentional in completing assigned tasks. You can multitask.
  • You can demonstrate strong, clear written & oral communication.
  • You can work and thrive in a sometimes high-pressure, high-speed environment.

How To Apply

Apply by submitting your resume and a short cover letter (no more than one page) answering these questions:

  1. Why do you want to work with Black Surf Santa Cruz?
  2. Why do you think you’ll be a good fit for this role?
  3. How do you think your personal relationship with power and privilege will impact how you interface with the role, the organization, and the community?

Please address your cover letter to the Black Surf Santa Cruz team.

APPLY NOW

This application will remain open until October 13, 2024 at 11:59 pm. Applications will be reviewed frequently on a rolling basis, and there will be a virtual interview process with top candidates.

Please contact Experiential Learning Coordinator Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu with any questions.

The Mellon Foundation generously supports this undergraduate internship.