Internships

Dorothy Thorndike Botanic Gardens Internship

 

Thorndike internIf you think plants are cool, and you like working on campus events such as the Mystical Tree Tour and the Greenhouse Light Show, this internship is for you! One internship is available for the academic year. 

This internship was established in fond memory of Dorothy Dudley Thorndike DS ’75, to furtherthe impact of her passion for plants and nature on students and visitors to the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens.

The Dorothy Thorndike intern works to connect people to plants, nature, and the environment, using the botanical resources of the Margaret Ferguson Greenhouses, Alexandra Botanic Garden, and Hunnewell Arboretum of Wellesley College.   The intern works with the Botanic Gardens Director and Assistant Director to develop events and exhibits on subjects such as edible and medicinal plants, plant ecology, plant uses in various cultures, etc.; topics are determined by current needs and the intern's interests. As the student ambassador for the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens (WCBG), the intern also leads the Botanistas student organization.

The Dorothy Thorndike Intern:
• learns about science outreach and communication;
• helps plan, organize, and publicize special events and activities, such as the Mystical Tree
Tour and Greenhouse Light Show;
• maintains an active presence for the Botanic Gardens via social media; 
• works on special projects according to her interests and the needs of the Botanic Gardens;
• gives an informal presentation about her work in late spring at the annual Thorndike Tea;
• has a flexible work schedule averaging 10 hours per week
• receives a stipend of $3000 for the academic year, beginning with Orientation week, plus optional January project (for an additional stipend).
 
Eligibility
This internship is open to all current Wellesley College students who will be returning to campus
for the following academic year.  The primary requirement is a love for plants.  Preference is
given to students who have taken BISC 108 or have other botanical or horticultural experience.
 
The application period has closed for this year.
 

 

2013 Summer Internships at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens:

Environmental Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture

 

The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens, Regeneration and Wellesley Center for the Environment offer four introductory-level summer internships at the botanic gardens, including the edible ecosystem garden and the kitchen garden (which this year will focus on crops native to North America), and at the student farm (Regeneration).  There also are two positions with somewhat more responsibility and compensation: a farm-manager-in-training, and an edible ecosystem manager.

BGinterns09

Interns will work together on projects under the direction of Senior Horticulturist Tricia Diggins and a student farm manager.  There will be a lot of outdoor work in often hot, muggy conditions – pulling weeds, mulching, watering, etc. – as well as workshops on such topics as plant identification, current vegetable crop techniques, composting and pruning.  There also will be field trips to local farms, Western Massachusetts permaculture sites, and places of botanical interest.

The 10-week internships run from June 3 to August 9 (optional additional weeks available before and after), have a stipend of $2600, and include campus housing in the Sustainability Coop (SCoop).  Regular work hours are Monday – Friday 7am to 4pm.  The positions require a strong desire to work outdoors and to engage in hands-on learning about environmental horticulture and sustainable agriculture. Previous gardening or farming experience is a plus, and preference goes to first-year students, but any current Wellesley student with an enthusiasm for this kind of work is encouraged to apply.

The application period has closed for this year.