North Dakota University System

Position Information

Student Intern

Applying for Internship

Internships at the Northwest Arts Center are offered in collaboration with Minot State University academic programs. Our ideal intern is an individual who has a passion for the arts, thinks creatively, and upholds characteristics of integrity, honesty, and excellence. Before applying, ensure that you are enrolled in an internship course for your respective program. At the current time, applications not associated with a respective course will not be considered.

Please provide your Major/Minor, enrolled internship course and amount of credits when applying.

Internship Programs

The NAC offers internships in a variety of areas including Administration, Collections, Exhibitions, and Digital Production. Interns may select a category that best fits with their academic area of study and the career industry they wish to enter, or choose across multiple areas for a broad experience.

1. Administration

• Projects/Assignments – general office tasks including preparing financial vouchers and mailings, email correspondence, financial tracking, preparing and sending contracts, filing and organizing, assist Director with daily activities, file sorting and scanning of historical documents.
• Skills and Qualifications – an interest in the arts, strong organizational skills and attention to detail, an open and professional demeanor and the ability to work with others as well as independently, basic understanding of Microsoft Word and Excel as well as Adobe Acrobat, familiarity with Mac computer functions.
• Training Provided – NDUS PeopleSoft financials system, Quickbooks, office equipment/technology.
• Skills/Knowledge/Outcomes – understanding of non-profit finances and operations, administrative and office experience, experience as an effective member of a small team doing big things.

1. Collections

• Projects/Assignments – artwork and object research, creating archival housing for the Native American Collection (NAmC), assisting with display exhibitions, framing improvements for the Permanent Art Collection (PAC), campus and external loans, improvements to both PAC and NAmC databases, condition reporting collections objects and artwork.
• Skills and Qualifications – an interest in the arts and ethnographic materials, strong organizational skills, and attention to detail, basic understanding of Microsoft Word and Excel as well as Adobe Acrobat.
• Training Provided – how to use and operate collection databases in FileMaker Pro, proper art and object handling, collections care and registration methods, methods for constructing archival housing, office equipment/technology.
• Skills/Knowledge/Outcomes – understanding of digital and physical collections management, art and object handling, experience as an effective member of a small team doing big things.

1. Exhibitions

• Projects/Assignments – exhibition and event attendance tracking, condition reporting exhibition artworks, assist with installing and uninstalling exhibitions, prepping walls post exhibition, processing juried show entries, assist with writing exhibition materials, work with artists and touring exhibitions, and prepare artist contracts.
• Skills and Qualifications – familiarity with art handling, basic understanding of Microsoft Word and Excel as well as Adobe Acrobat, proficient writing skills, knowledge of basic art terms and concepts, experience with hand tools.
• Training Provided - office equipment/technology, exhibition design and layout methods, art handling, artwork conditioning and registration methods.
• Skills/Knowledge/Outcomes – understanding of exhibition design and arranging, art handling experience, experience as an effective member of a small team doing big things.

1. Digital Production/Content

• Projects/Assignments – social media and press/news release writing, digital content/campaign development, photograph exhibitions, assist with media production and photographing receptions and events, editing photographs and videos, archiving digital content, maintaining NAC website.
• Skills and Qualifications – basic to intermediate knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, interest in the arts, strong typographic foundation.
• Training Provided – introduction to social media programs, NAC content management processes, marketing and social media campaigns and branding guidelines.
• Skills/Knowledge/Outcomes – learn to create impactful content that fulfills the NAC’s mission and reaches audiences online, experience as an effective member of a small team doing big things.

1. Graphic Design

• Projects/Assignments – create a variety of digital and print designs for internal projects, including exhibition promotional design, internal design projects, and marketing/membership materials, assist with production. Scale of projects will vary based on interest and skill level.
• Skills and Qualifications – basic to intermediate knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, interest in the arts, strong typographic foundation.
• Training Provided – hands-on experience working within the NAC identity on a variety of internal exhibitions, events, and branded materials.
• Skills/Knowledge/Outcomes – working knowledge of being part of an in-house team, an understanding graphic identity and how it exists within the museum, and projects for use within a portfolio.

General Information

The Northwest Arts Center is a non-profit arts center operating on the campus of Minot State University. The Center houses the Walter Piehl Gallery, a public reception area, permanent display vitrines and climate-controlled collections storage for Minot State University’s Permanent Art Collection and Native American Collections. 

Over the years the Center has enriched the artistic life of northwest North Dakota with year-round art exhibitions, a performing arts series, a public lecture series, and numerous workshops and artists-in-residence activities. Programming of the Northwest Arts Center is supported by entry fees from its juried competitions, grants, student activity fees, memberships, and private donations. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

The Arts Center hosts multiple exhibitions, receptions, public and private events throughout the academic and calendar year. Interns have the opportunity to learn the day-to-day operations and procedures of an active exhibiting and collecting institution. 

Hours and Compensation

Internship hours may vary based on the number of credit hours required by the academic program. Flexible scheduling of hours is available. Interns may be expected to attend/work outside of NAC’s regular hours for receptions and events. Digital Production interns must also be available during the noon hours on most Fridays to assist with media for the Art Seminar Series.

Internship hours cannot be completed during a student’s designated class time. 

Interns will be compensated via a stipend upon completion of internship, equivalent to Minot State University regular student wage and internship hours. Compensation also based on NAC’s available funding.

Questions? For questions about internship positions please contact (nac@minotstateu.edu) or visit us at the Northwest Arts Center (lower level of the Gordon B. Olson Library, south side entrance).

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Statement: Minot State University (MSU) is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. MSU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information (GINA), marital or parental status, veteran’s status, citizenship status, public assistance status, participation in lawful off-campus activity, spousal relationship to current employee, or other protected status under federal, state, or local law. MSU complies with all federal and state non-discrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders and regulations, including complying with the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. This policy applies to admissions, enrollment, scholarships, loan programs, participation in University activities, employment, and access to participation in, and treatment in all University programs and activities.

For more information, or for accommodations contact: hr@minotstateu.edu. For Relay Services: Relay North Dakota

ND Veteran's Preference: North Dakota Veterans claiming preference must submit all proof of eligibility by the closing date. Proof of eligibility includes a DD-214 or NGB 22 and if claiming disabled status, a current letter of disability from the VA dated within the last 12 months.

Confidentiality of Application Materials

Pursuant to NDCC 44-04-18.27, applications and any records related to the applications that identify an applicant are confidential, except records related to the finalists of the position, which are open to the public after the search committee has identified the top three finalists who will be invited to campus.