Select Page

Internship and Career Services

IAIA Student Jonathan Loretto

IAIA Student Jonathan Loretto (Cochiti Pueblo)

IAIA Internship and Career Services provides a variety of free services to current students and alumni promoting student readiness for professional careers through web-based employment searches and present-day approaches to marketing yourself. Services include online career assessment, internships, resume building and resume editing.

Career

  • Career fairs
  • Graduate school preparation
  • Interviewing strategies
  • Job search and strategies
  • Off campus job postings
  • Resume and cover letter writing assistance

Internship

A meaningful internship (for credit and non-credit) experience provides students with relevant workplace skills and networking opportunities that can put career goals in reach. An internship or apprenticeship enliven and enrich the aspects of learning, deepen understanding, and promote proficiency. Administered at IAIA, there are two paid internship programs students may be eligible for, Ascendium (formerly Great Lakes) and Journey Home.

Internships place students within existing organizations to learn directly from employees, volunteers, clients, and others. Internships provide valuable hands-on real world opportunities for deepening student learning, and prepare students for professional careers in their chosen fields.

With the approval of advisors, internships and apprenticeship are available. They can count as an elective or major credit toward graduation, although they do not count toward general education. IAIA includes Internships and Apprenticeships in its educational model. Students may enroll in these educational opportunities with the support of their academic advisors. Internships and apprenticeships may count for either elective or major credit to fulfill the requirements for graduation. They do not count toward general education.

For internships and apprenticeships, contracts are written which specify the expectations for both the student and the supervisor or mentor. They list the total number of contact hours which will determine the amount of academic credit awarded. Contracts will state the days, times, and places where the learning will occur. Contracts are signed by the student, the academic advisor or sponsoring faculty member, and the internship supervisor or apprenticeship mentor. Internships and apprenticeships are conducted on a pass/fail or credit/no credit system. Grades are not given for these experiences.

The Internship and Career Services Director is located in the Student Success Center, next to Student Accounts. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8 am–4 pm.

IAIA Student Chelsea A. Benally (Navajo)

IAIA Student Chelsea A. Benally (Navajo)

The Journey Home is a paid summer internship available for IAIA students who have not yet graduated. The internship is funded by an outside organization and has a number of restrictions. Please read the description to make sure you are eligible.

What Makes the Journey Home Internship Special?

Improving IAIA students’ opportunities by combining experiential learning with service to our Native communities, the IAIA Journey Home Internship provides generous stipends for students to intern with tribal organizations during summer sessions.

Students report to workplace supervisors and fulfill workplace expectations to receive academic credit. All students keep a journal to document their learning and then write a final reflective paper. Workplace supervisors from the host site complete an evaluation form and make comments on the student’s learning in the workplace.

IAIA Journey Home Interns put their education to work, plus they learn how to serve their communities. For the 2021 Summer session, we are offering eight scholarships that students are able to apply for. The paid internship provides the selected student with a total of $4,461.26 (after tax and tuition) for one 3-credit summer internship. The internship funds are distributed to the students in intervals throughout the length of the internship.

The internship has the following geographic restrictions and is open to tribally-enrolled students in the regions listed below (the host site must be a tribal organization or tribal enterprise in one of the following regions).

  • Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska)
  • Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota)
  • Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California)
  • Idaho and Montana

The internship program is designed for students pursuing a BFA in Studio Arts, Museum Studies, and Indigenous Liberal Studies.

How to Apply

Before applying for the internships, students should identify an organization or enterprise they would like to work with and confirm with the internship host before applying. Students must identify the type of work being performed during the internship.



For assistance, contact Daina Warren, Artist-in-Residence Program Manager, at daina.warren@iaia.edu.

  • Application Submission Dates: March 17—April 22, 2023
  • Summer Session Dates: June 6—July 29, 2023

Interested in Becoming a Host Site for IAIA interns?

For tribal organizations and tribal enterprises in the geographic regions listed above please contact Artist-in-Residence (A-i-R) Program Administrative Assistant Angelica Gallegos at agallegos@iaia.edu.

Journey Home Apprenticeships

Journey Home funding is also available for apprenticeships. Apply at the following link.

 

Ascendium paid internships benefit students, colleges and employers.

Internship Eligibility

  • Pays $10 per hour for 20 hours a week. Students must apply for the Internship and if selected, fill-out required internship forms available at the Internship and Career Services Director’s office.
  • Eligible students must be currently enrolled, full-time, undergraduate, degree-seeking meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements and show financial need.
  • Students that already hold a student worker or Work-Study position will not be eligible for this paid internship award.
  • IAIA Staff and Faculty can hire a student for the paid internship (not currently a student worker or Work-Study position) and must submit the required paperwork to the Internship and Career Services Director at careers@iaia.edu.
  • Open to organizations, galleries, film industry, museums that can provide a meaningful internship experience for Cinematic Arts & Technology, Creative Writing, Indigenous Liberal Studies, Museum Studies, or Studio Arts majors.
  • Student can select their own site and setup their interview with site. Or contact the Internship and Career Director who can assist with the contact and coordination of site selection or site setup process. Note: Student may not begin internship until all hiring documents are complete through IAIA Human Resources.

Participating Internship Hosts

Previous and current internship hosts include Patricia Michaels (PM Waterlily), Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, IAIA Indigenous Liberal Studies Department, Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery, IAIA Library, New Mexico State Film Office, New Mexico History Museum, Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, SWAIA, Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, Duchy Films, Wheeler Museum, and Meow Wolf.

For more information, please contact Internship and Career Services Director at (505) 424-2319 or careers@iaia.edu.

Apprenticeships place students in a direct one-on-one mentoring relationship with an elder, a master artist, or a cultural expert who is willing to share his or her expertise and experience with a student. The student is to provide assistance to the mentor on a specific project or undertaking. In this way, through observation and direct involvement, students will become familiar with new artistic processes, cultural practices and related approaches.

All students keep a journal to document their learning. Each student will write a final reflective paper. Mentors will complete an evaluation commenting on student learning through this experience.

Over four years, students may enroll in two levels of apprenticeships for variable credit. Students may enroll in 1-6 credit apprenticeships.

  • Apprenticeship I 295
  • Apprenticeship II 495

Apprenticeships are available in the following programs:

  • MUSM295, MUSM 495 Museum Studies for one-on-one learning with an independent curator or related project.
  • ARTS295, ARTS495 Studio Arts for one-on-one learning with a master artist or craftsperson. Any of the following prefixes may be used: CERA, JEWL, PRTM, SCUP, PHOT, PTNG.
  • IDST295, IDST495, Indigenous Studies for one-on-one learning from a tribally-acknowledged expert.
  • NMAD295, NMAD495 New Media Arts for one-on-one learning with an independent media artist or graphic artist.
  • CRWR295, CRWR495 Creative Writing for one-on-one learning with a writer.

 

Internships place students within existing organizations to learn directly from fellow employees, volunteers, clients and others. Internships provide valuable hands-on real world opportunities for student learning to deepen and strengthen classroom instruction and prepare students for professional careers in their chosen fields.

Students report to workplace supervisors and fulfill workplace expectations to receive academic credit. All students keep a journal to document their learning. They will write a final reflective paper. Workplace supervisors will complete an evaluation form commenting on student’s learning in the workplace.

Over their four years, students may enroll in two levels of internships for variable credit. Students may enroll in 1 to 6 credit internships.

  • Internship I 290 (Prerequisite: 2nd year standing)
  • Internship II 490 (Prerequisite: 3rd year standing)

Internships are available in the following programs:

  • MUSM290, MUSM490 Museum Studies-for work in galleries or museums

ARTS290, ARTS490 Studio Arts for work in galleries and arts organizations any of the following prefixes may be used:

  • CERA, JEWL, PRTM, SCUP, PHOT, PTNG.
  • IDST290, IDST490 Indigenous Studies for work in tribal organizations and institutions serving Native peoples. ASG officers may choose to receive internship credit for their work.
  • NMAD290, NMAD490 New Media Arts for work in graphic design, web design or moving image media.
  • CRWR290, CRWR490 Creative Writing for work in publications, public relations, publishing, journalism, theater, or performing arts organizations.

 

An independent study provides an opportunity for an upper level student to work individually in a self-designed study under the guidance and direction of a fulltime faculty member.

A student may not use more than three independent studies or a total of 9 credits toward the completion of a degree. An independent study does not satisfy general education requirements.

 

Lorissa Garcia

Lorissa Garcia

(Acoma Pueblo)

Interim Student Success Center Director
Student Success Center
P (505) 424-2307
E lorissa.garcia@iaia.edu

Daina Warren

Daina Warren

(Montana Akamihk Cree Nation)

Program Manager
IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts
P (505) 424-2369
E daina.warren@iaia.edu