Special Events InternAt — Fullerton Museum Center

Special Events Intern

Fullerton Museum Center – Internship Program

Thank you for your interest in becoming an intern at the Fullerton Museum Center. Our Internship Program is designed to provide hands-on professional experience while enhancing students’ understanding of museum operations, event planning, and community engagement. This is an unpaid internship that may be completed for academic credit or for non-academic professional experience and runs for the academic semester.

Position Overview

The Special Events Intern will join the dynamic and collaborative team at the Fullerton Museum Center and gain valuable, real-world experience in event planning, coordination, and execution within a cultural institution. This unpaid internship is offered for the duration of the academic semester and is open to currently enrolled college students or recent graduates, whether or not academic credit is required.

Responsibilities

Typical responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting with planning, coordinating, and executing events, including exhibitions, concerts, rentals, and community programs such as Winter Market, Pride Fest Fullerton, Haunted Tours, and Beer Garden
• Supporting on-site event operations to ensure smooth execution and positive attendee experiences
• Assisting with marketing and promotional materials for events, including social media content and newsletters
• Helping manage logistics and vendor communications
• Tracking event materials, supplies, and attendance data
• Supporting membership communication and special member programming
• Observing and participating in other areas of museum operations as opportunities arise

Candidates who are organized, energetic, and able to work in a fast-paced environment are strongly encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled college students or recent graduates
• Interest in event planning, project management, marketing, or museum operations
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends
• Professional, reliable, and detail-oriented

Learning Opportunities

Although interns are generally supervised by a specific department, they will have the opportunity to actively observe and participate in other areas of museum operations. The Fullerton Museum Center staff will work with students and academic advisors to support internship and independent study requirements at the student’s school, if academic credit is being pursued.

Duration & Compensation

• Internship duration: Academic semester
• This is an unpaid internship
• May be completed for academic credit or for non-academic professional experience
• Academic credit arrangements, if applicable, are the responsibility of the intern and their educational institution

Disclaimer

This list of responsibilities and duties is not exhaustive and represents the current scope of the position. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require additional tasks as circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, staffing changes, workload, or technical developments).

Task:

Typical responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
Assisting with planning, coordinating, and executing events, including exhibitions, concerts, rentals, and community programs such as Winter Market, Pride Fest Fullerton, Haunted Tours, and Beer Garden
Supporting on-site event operations to ensure smooth execution and positive attendee experiences
Assisting with marketing and promotional materials for events, including social media content and newsletters
Helping manage logistics and vendor communications
Tracking event materials, supplies, and attendance data
Supporting membership communication and special member programming
Observing and participating in other areas of museum operations as opportunities arise

Training:

Students participating in the Special Events Internship at the Fullerton Museum Center will receive structured training and ongoing supervision to support their professional development and learning outcomes throughout the academic semester.

1. General Orientation (Mandatory):

Introduction to the Museum’s mission, staff, policies, and workplace expectations

Overview of museum operations and how events contribute to organizational goals

2. Role-Specific Training:

Overview of event planning processes, including timelines, schedules, resource allocation, and contingency planning

Introduction to vendor management, on-site logistics, and risk management

Training on internal systems, communication tools, and reporting procedures

3. Mentorship & Supervision:

Weekly one-on-one check-ins with the Operations Manager or assigned mentor to review progress, provide feedback, and answer questions

Guidance on connecting day-to-day tasks to broader learning and professional development goals

4. Job Shadowing & Hands-On Experience:

Shadow staff during event planning meetings, setup, and execution

Supervised participation in event logistics, setup, registration, and wrap-up

Opportunities to assist with promotional activities, social media content, and membership communications

5. Work Samples & Reflection:

Access to past event materials, templates, and planning documents for reference

Encouragement to document experiences, challenges, and solutions in a reflective log or portfolio

Post-event review sessions to evaluate successes, challenges, and improvement opportunities

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the internship, the Special Events Intern will be able to:

Understand and apply the fundamentals of event planning and coordination in a museum or nonprofit setting.

Assist with managing event logistics, schedules, vendor communications, and on-site operations.

Support marketing and promotional activities, including social media content and membership communications.

Develop professional communication, teamwork, and relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders.

Observe and participate in cross-departmental museum operations to gain a holistic understanding of organizational workflows.