Mission and Purpose

The mission of Reiman Gardens’ Internship Program is to promote the professional and intellectual development of students through a multi-disciplinary educational approach and hands-on work experience. With one of the most intensive, cross-dimensional programs at ISU and in the public gardens field, Reiman Gardens' interns go on to become experts and leaders in their chosen fields. There are opportunities for experience in event management, education, entomology, marketing, volunteer engagement, plant collections, and of course, a variety of facets of horticulture - from landscaping and design to irrigation and  community/edible gardening.

2023-24 Internship Opportunities

In 2023-2024 there are opportunities for full-time summer interns and part-time spring interns.

Reiman Gardens’ interns are partnered with a full-time professional staff member to explore day-to-day duties and experiences in an innovative public garden setting. Each summer intern is required to work in their specialized area four and a half days a week, with one half day a week reserved for educational workshops, demonstrations, and field trips for a total of ~40 hours per week (20 for semester internships), including some weekend and evening hours.  Various internship components provide additional educational experiences across departments, building skills that extend beyond daily work, and which help make interns highly competitive professional job-seekers. Examples include:

  • opportunities for self- and group reflection
  • education sessions providing operational understanding of public gardens, museums, and other non-profits
  • field trips to similar organizations
  • tours of Reiman Gardens' plant, invertebrate, and art collections
  • interdepartmental rotation experiences
  • marketing experience creating videos for social media and mobile content for visitor engagement
  • public speaking (summer interns will present a public program together near the end of the internship)

Each semester's internship program runs concurrently with Iowa State University's semester calendar.

Any current undergraduate student at any college or university with an interest in horticulture, public gardens, or non-profit organizations is encouraged to apply.

NOTE: Most of our summer internships have been filled (see available positions below).

All spring internships are up to 20 hours/week. Internships may require some weekend and evening hours.

Marketing & Communications
This position has been filled.

The Marketing and Communications intern will work creatively with the Marketing team to create content for social media, assist and/or lead marketing campaigns for events, and contribute to strategic content for advertising, to help grow Reiman Gardens’ attendance and reach. Regular responsibilities include videography and photography, professional engagement on Instagram and Facebook, and content creation using Adobe products such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premier Pro. The intern may also do some light graphic design work. This internship requires some weekend and evening hours.  Compensation is $15.00/hour. 

Event Management
This position has been filled.

The Event Management intern will assist with the planning and implementation of special events and rentals at Reiman Gardens throughout the spring such as Spring Enchantment, Rovers at Reiman, Plant Sale Extravaganza, Orchid Fest, and the summer Garden Art Fair. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events, classes, and programs. Additionally, the event management intern will be trained and may be asked to serve as a tour guide for prospective rental clients. Other duties for public events include communicating with vendors and other contacts, creating event plans and related documents, and providing top-notch customer service for event participants, visitors, staff, and volunteers.

Event management for private events includes assisting with the planning and implementation of private rentals such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and banquets throughout the summer. This includes planning, organizing, managing vendor arrival times and set-ups, as well as the possibility of special projects.

    All summer internships are ~40 hours/week for 15 weeks. Internships may require some weekend and evening hours.

    Entomology

    The Entomology intern will assist the Director of Entomology in the processing and maintenance of butterfly cultures for release in the Butterfly Wing. Such work will involve maintenance of a variety of invertebrate colonies, processing and handling tropical chrysalis shipments, as well as light research on maintained colonies. This internship provides the opportunity to work directly with all life stages throughout the rearing process for a variety of invertebrates. The intern will be working in a USDA regulated lab and must be comfortable working with live insects  The intern will also serve as a Butterfly Wing docent, giving information to Gardens’ visitors. There may be hours available after the internship if you are interested. Compensation is $12/hr.

      Event Management
      This position has been filled.

      The summer Event Management intern will assist with the creation and implementation of special events and rentals at Reiman Gardens throughout the summer such as Pollinator Fest, Rose Fest, Independence Day Celebration, Garden Art Fair, and others. This includes planning, organizing, developing activities, managing catering, and completing setups. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events, classes, and programs. Additionally, the event management intern will be trained and may be asked to serve as a tour guide for prospective rental clients. Event management for private events includes assisting with the planning and implementation of private rentals such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and banquets throughout the summer. This includes planning, organizing, managing vendor arrival times and set-ups, as well as the possibility of special projects. Compensation is $15/hr.

        Education
        These positions have been filled.

        The Education intern develops lesson plans, preps and leads youth & family summer programming, including on site programs, virtual content, and mobile engagement. This intern also assists with the coordination and implementation of written garden and exhibit interpretation, large group tours for youth and adults, and interdepartmental educational projects.  May also develop, teach, and/or support adult continuing education programs. Emphasis is on aligning informal programming with Reiman Gardens’ mission and annual theme, as well as connecting youth programs strongly to Next Generation Science Standards. Compensation is $15/hr. There are openings for 2 summer Education interns.

        NEW!

        Horticulture: Preservation & Propagation

        This position has been filled.

        The Horticulture: Preservation & Propagation intern will work with professional horticulture staff and volunteers to establish and maintain perennial garden spaces, nationally-recognized collections, and a beloved holiday tradition. Key aspects of this internship include: establishing the Heritage Garden, a new display garden celebrating the breeding accomplishments of Iowa State University; collecting data and establishing propagation protocol for the Buck rose collection; collecting plant material to preserve for the annual Everlasting Tree, on display at Reiman Gardens during the holiday season; as well as continuing to refine current preservation techniques and experiment with new methods. Additional emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, propagating, data collection and entry, photography, and all other aspects of horticultureCompensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

        Horticulture: Community & Edible Gardening

        This position has been filled.

        The Horticulture: Community & Edible Gardening intern will maintain annual and perennial plant collections in the outdoor Edible Garden and other vegetable production areas. Emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, and fertilizing, while working closely with volunteers to manage Reiman Gardens’ support for the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry program, providing produce to area food pantries. This intern will also coordinate some Saturday Farmers’ Market pickups and will be required to perform other outdoor gardening duties as assigned. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

          Horticulture: Landscape & Ornamental Gardening

          This position has been filled.

          The Horticulture: Landscape & Ornamental Gardening intern will maintain permanent and annual plant collections in all areas of the outdoor gardens. Emphasis is on developing horticulture skills in planting, weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, fertilizing, and maintaining outdoor displays and water features. The intern will work with the rose collection, woody plants, Iowa native plants, water plants, perennials, annuals, turf grass, fruits, and vegetables. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

            Plant Collections & Records
            This position has been filled.

            The Plant Collections & Records intern will assist with maintaining the plant collection records at Reiman Gardens. Responsibilities include inputting data into the plant database, researching plant nomenclature and characteristics for educational displays, contributing to national research projects, creating accurate display labels and accession tags for plant materials, updating maps of installed plant materials, and photographing certain plant collections. The intern will work with several computer software programs like AutoCAD. Compensation is $13.25-14.25/hr. depending on experience.

               

              All semester internships are 10-20 hours/week and $15.00/hour unless otherwise noted. Internships may require some weekend and evening hours.

              Volunteer Engagement
              Applications for this position will open in March 2024.

              The Volunteer Engagement Intern will work directly with the Manager of Volunteer Engagement to support volunteers with a variety of activities this fall. The Volunteer Engagement Intern will assist with recruitment, scheduling, and staffing for the annual pumpkin carving event. The intern will also assist with recruitment, scheduling, and training for the holiday light show, Winter Wonderscape. The intern will identify new opportunities to expand student volunteer engagement and satisfaction. Other responsibilities will include creating a schedule of events and suggested entertainment for this year's annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception. The Volunteer Engagement Intern will learn best practices for volunteer engagement and how a university program differs from other non-profits. This position has been filled for 2023-2024.

                My education internship changed the way I viewed my role as an educator, especially outside of a classroom setting. It set me on a new trajectory for my future career.

                Logan Metzger, Education Intern, 2021

                2022 interns and Reiman Gardens staff visit Lauritzen Gardens during a field trip to Omaha, Nebraska.

                Apply for a Reiman Gardens Internship

                For further information please contact:

                Sara Merritt
                Internship Coordinator & Director of Education
                Reiman Gardens
                Iowa State University
                1407 University Blvd
                Ames, IA 50011
                Phone: 515-294-1318
                Email: smerritt@iastate.edu

                Apply now!