Internship Program Overview:
The City of Independence is launching its inaugural undergraduate internship program for the summer of 2026. The 2026 program will have opportunities available in different departments within the City’s government. Interns will be actively engaged with duties related to their respective field of study and be given invaluable experience to assist them in their future career paths.
Summer internship opportunities are available to active undergraduate level students only. To be eligible for a summer internship, students must be actively enrolled at the undergraduate level as either a junior or senior in the Fall of 2026 semester, be graduating no earlier than December 2026 and have a cumulative GPA no lower than a 3.0. This internship is fully located in the office, and no remote work will be offered or considered. Depending on the department, there may be some supervised fieldwork in accordance with an internship.
This 2026 Summer Internship will commence on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, and end on Friday, July 31, 2026.
This 2026 Summer Internship will be Tuesdays – Fridays, with Mondays as a standard off-day. There may be schedule flexibility depending on the scheduled days of the week pursuant to the department’s projects and other assignments; however, interns will work four days per week.
Selected interns must be available for an in-person on-boarding process which will take place on the City of Independence campus on Friday, May 29, 2026. More information about this event will be distributed to selected candidates at the appropriate time.
Position Summary:
The City of Independence is seeking a responsible, hardworking, dedicated, friendly, energetic, and fun individual with a passion for serving the community to join our team as the Adult Program Summer Intern to plan programs, activities, events, and services for adult and senior residents in the Independence community.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Coordinate with outside contractors to offer various programs and activities for Independence residents, including but not limited to Better Balance, Chair Yoga, Cooking Demos, Dine In Meals Presentation, Mind Challenge, Music Bingo, and Yoga Nidra
- Collaborate with the Kitchen Manager to create the Dine In Meals menu and serve the meals as well as assist in the kitchen as necessary
- Host weekly bingo games in accordance with Ohio Gambling Laws and serve as the “bingo caller” as necessary
- Based on themes or resident recommendations, create the YouTube video playlist for the monthly Sing-A-Song Sing-A-Longs
- Create the weekly in-house movie schedule by reviewing and selecting a variety of new and classic movies that interest and entertain residents
- Plan special programs, activities, and events around various themes, including New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Older American’s Month, etc.
- Responsible for the coordination of all City Bus Trips, including selecting the destinations, scheduling transportation, completing bus trip forms and waiver checks, setting “reminder call” notifications in Outlook for the Community Services Front Desk and serving as the tour guide if a volunteer tour guide is unavailable
- Attend the Senior Citizens of Independence monthly meetings held on the second Friday of each month
- Facilitate program development, advertisement, and registration
- Create room reservations and room layouts for adult and senior programs, activities, and events
- Register residents and guests for various programs, activities, events, trips, and services and process payments in accordance with department procedures for enrolling participants
- Photograph adult programs, activities, and events
- Interact and communicate in written and verbal formats with residents, guests, colleagues, and team members to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, etc. in such a way that continues to foster the safe, fun, and educational environment of the Civic Center
- Answer telephone calls, e-mails, and in-person inquiries, providing general department and program-specific information and/or directing individuals to the appropriate person or department
- Compile, copy, sort, and file records and documents in line with Community Services policies and procedures
- Assist with various aspects of Community Services and City special events
- Attend training seminars and meetings as required
- Perform other duties as assigned
Necessary Competencies:
- Written & Verbal Communication
- Customer Service
- Problem Solving
- Prioritizing
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
- Planning and Organizing
Requirements:
Experience:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook is required.
- Experience in Program/Activity/Event Planning is required.
- Experience in Recreation/CRM Software is preferred.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills as well as time management are required.
- Relevant work experience in the field of the internship is preferred.
Education:
- Actively enrolled at an accredited institution at the undergraduate level as either a junior or senior in the Fall of 2026 semester and graduating no earlier than December 2026.
- Enrolled in coursework which is relevant to the Internship opportunity to which they are applying. Applicable majors include Human Services, Parks & Recreation, Public Administration or a field closely related to this role.
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and have an average of B or above in the relevant field of study.
Additional Requirements:
- Valid State of Ohio Driver’s License is not required. Interns are prohibited from driving City of Independence owned vehicles, or operating City of Independence equipment of any kind.
- While interns are not required to have a State of Ohio Driver’s License, they are required to ensure that they arrive for their scheduled work hours on-time and will be subject to standard time and attendance policies and procedures.
Physical Demands:
Interns must be able to see, speak, and hear clearly.
Interns will be required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms.
Interns will be required to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds when necessary.
This internship will combine both office/sedentary work as well as supervised fieldwork.
Interns must be capable of working in both an indoor and outdoor environment under standard Ohio weather conditions.
Salary Information:
- The minimum pay for this 2026 Summer Internship is $15.00/per hour for a maximum of (32) hours per week.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
- The City of Independence is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The City of Independence is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. This position is an "at will" position, and the successful candidate serves at the pleasure of the City of Independence, Ohio leadership.
https://www.independenceohio.org/departments/community_services/index.php
