WRC-WGS Internships

Interns with the WRC gives Women’s & Gender Studies students the opportunity to apply the concepts and theories learned in prior coursework to an actual work setting. Through the internship experience, students are able to earn academic credit while working for a local organization that combats social inequality and lifts up marginalized individuals and populations.The WRC currently offers a paid internship position of $13/hour.

Requirements

To enroll in WGS 489: Internship in Women & Gender Studies, students must have the following: 

1. junior standing;  

1. a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher; 

1. completed WGS 200 or 201

In addition to working as interns during the semester, students taking WGS 489 will create professional materials (e.g. a resume) and create a final reflective paper or project, to be determined by the supervisor, instructor, and intern. To earn three credits, students should plan to work 9-10 hours each week.

How to Apply: If you are interested in interning please email WGS Advisor Morgan Foster at fosterm@uwm.edu

Intern Job Description

Mission: The UWM WRC uses an intersectional lens to advocate for the education, empowerment, and agency of women, femmes, feminine-of-center, and others to create a welcoming campus community by providing social-justice-based education, resources, programming, and support for students across the spectrums of gender and sexuality, with an emphasis on intersectional experiences.

We will:

• Reflect the diverse communities within and beyond our campus through the work we do.
• Support and challenge all students on their personal journeys to understand and celebrate their identities.
• Connect, retain, and sustain students and alumni in equity- and justice-based work.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Attend weekly WRC staff meeting, weekly one-on-one meeting, and mandatory staff trainings
• Maintain a welcoming, inclusive, and informative environment for the campus community.
• Complete required hours per week, with the schedule to be decided by the WRC director and student (approximately 10 for a three-credit course / 3 for a one-credit course)
• Complete a reflective essay synthesizing students’ WGS coursework with the feminist work undertaken during the internship
• Projects and duties based on student interests and WRC needs, to be determined by the WRC Professional Staff and the student in collaboration with the Undergraduate Advisor
  • Previous projects have included creating a lending library, managing social media, and assisting in various ways with promoting and running WRC events.

WRC-WGS Spring 2021 Program Intern: Cecelia Murphy

“My name is Cecelia and I had the pleasure of being the 2021 Spring program intern at the Women’s Resource Center. I never expected my journey with the WRC would be nearly as rewarding and enlightening as it ended up being. After my first program–an International Women’s Day discussion, I knew I was in for a fulfilling and enriching internship experience. The level of excitement and involvement shown by participants of the events I held at the WRC inspired me and filled my heart. Everyone who joined a program of mine brought supportive, reassuring, and unifying energy to the events. Not only did I gain professional development from my internship with the WRC, but I also gained a sense of community at a time when I have never felt so disconnected from communities I used to feel aligned with before the pandemic. As I’m now graduated and moving into my professional career, I intend on spreading this energy brought to my events and attempt to  create a sense of community into all my future professional enviornements. My internship expereience reminded me of the importance of support and advocacy and how much inclusive, encouraging enviorments can positively impact an evniornment. Now that my time with the Women’s Resource Center has concluded, I plan on using my Women’s and Gender Studies and Communication degrees to persue a career in advocacy, gender equity, and inclusivity work. I will use the professional development, experience, and knowledge about inclusivity and equity that I learned from the WRC every day in my professional caereer.” 

WRC-WGS Spring 2021 Educational Intern: Johanna Nevin

“My time as the Educational Intern at the Women’s Resource Center has been lifechanging. This position helped me develop the exact skills I want to implement in my future career; educating any age group, facilitating a safe and inclusive work environment, and doing archival research. Working here has given me the confidence to continue bringing my values into every single space that I am in and to challenge myself or others to always learn and do better.”