ORGANIZATION
The American Academy of Religion's (AAR) mission is to foster excellence in the academic study of religion and to enhance public understanding of religion. We are a membership organization that serves as the guild (learned society) for scholars of religion. We hold a robust annual meeting hosting over 10,000 attendees and promote year-round programming and benefits for our members.
MENTOR
Alice Hunt, Executive Director, American Academy of Religion
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This internship will prepare interns for careers in any of the following:
- Academic Research and Administration
- Advocacy and Policy
- Consulting
- Data Science
- Non-profit
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
This internship will provide experiences to develop and polish the following skills:
- Communication (Written and/or verbal)
- Data Literacy and Fluency
- Grant writing and Funding development
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Knowledge of Sector and Networking
- Problem-solving and Analytical Thinking
- Project Management
- Self and Career Management
- Thought Leadership and Innovation
MENTORING PLAN
Mentoring for this internship will involve the executive director as well as several AAR board members who are focusing on environmental sustainability. Through mentoring, we will help the intern:
- Develop strategic organizational sensibilities
- Develop networks
- Develop nuanced questions
- Understand the relationship between mission, values, and goals and implementation processes
- Set appropriate professional development goals
- The mentor will hold regular 1-1 meetings with the intern (either weekly or bi-weekly - depending on the intern's schedule).
- The intern will be included in all staff meetings and will learn about the organization from the ground up. If mutually agreeable, the intern will be included as staff for our Annual Meeting (November 2023) and will have opportunities to network there.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The intern will gain experience in project conceptualization and implementation. The intern will gain experience in establishing a cyclical assessment process.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The internship will involve project conceptualization, management, and implementation. The intern will gather all relevant material, conceive and conduct an environmental audit, and develop recommendations for the organization. The project could also offer the intern the opportunity to write a grant proposal. We want to be an environmentally responsible organization. We just don't have the knowledge and skill set to figure out how to do our best in this effort.
DESIRED QUALITIES
- Desire to learn
- Ability to engage in self-reflection
- Detail-oriented
- Well-organized
- Demonstrated ability to follow through
- Demonstrated knowledge base around environmental sustainability
MODE OF INTERNSHIP
Willing to consider in-person, virtual, or hybrid depending on the intern’s availability/preference
DURATION
Willing to consider any combination of Summer 2023, Fall 2023, and/or Spring 2024