Internship Opportunities
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's Department of Parks and Recreation offers college student internships in many functional areas. These include community recreation, planning, design, architecture, engineering, maintenance, childcare, therapeutic recreation, sports, interpretation, horticulture, history, and art. Positions are available for Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer semesters. The following briefly describes the various internships available. Students should contact specific divisions to obtain a more detailed description of individual programs. Names and telephone numbers of contact persons are included hereafter. For more information contact Larry Zimmerman, Departmental Intern Coordinator, at 301-454-1525, (TTY) 301-699-2544, (fax) 301-864-6941 or via larry.zimmerman@pgparks.com
Applications should be received by the following dates for each semester:
Positions are available in all divisions:
Area Operations is responsible for the operation of basic park and recreation leisure programs including recreation centers and classes. Depending on the semester, students may have the opportunity to work in the following areas: community centers, teen clubs, supervised gyms, day camps, playgrounds, routine maintenance, and class programs. Students will have a variety of observation and "hands-on" experiences with several work supervisors in a number of different programs and administrative situations. The total experience will expose each student to the daily operations of a grassroots parks and recreation system. The opportunity to meet with citizen volunteers and elected/appointed public county and municipal officials will be an integral part of the work experience.
Additional internship opportunities working with individuals with disabilities are available in Inclusion Services within the Area Operations.
The Arts and Cultural Heritage Division offers a variety of services to individual artists and performers and to county-based dance, music, theater, and visual arts groups. Specialists in each discipline are available to provide consultation and technical assistance. This includes securing performing and exhibit opportunities; making referrals to qualified instructors; providing guidance in setting up class programs; workshops and arts festivals; reviewing performances; securing and lending equipment; disseminating information on grants available from various sources; arranging judges for exhibits or touring competitions, etc. These specialists also serve as resource persons to the Department of Parks and Recreation staff. Interns assigned to this division are given an "overall" view of arts administration, cultural facility management, journalism and public relations, general recreation and festival planning, arts council involvement, career counseling and grantsmanship training.
The Special Programs Division is unique because it oversees a variety of programs that offer opportunities to grow and learn in several different ways. The Division is responsible for coordinating various programs on a seasonal basis including: Annual Safety Management Conference, Summer Food Program, School/Community Center Programs, and the Festival of Lights. Some of the Division's many responsibilities include operating two child care centers and monitoring five Area Operations School Age Child Care programs(Kids'Care). Kids' Care is a program designed to provide professional, developmental day care with after school accountability for elementary school children in grades one through six. There are 21 locations throughout the County that operate on school days from 2-6 pm. The Commission is a partner with the County government and the Board of Education in a unique inter-agency approach to quality employer-sponsored day care. This Division is responsible for the administration and management of Prince George's County Employees' Child Care Center in Upper Marlboro for infants and children through age six, and the Prince George's County Public Schools Employees' Child Care Center in Glenridge Elementary School for two-to-six year old children. Interns working at the Child Care Centers or the School Age Child Care program develop experience which can be invaluable to students who love to be with children and who choose a career in early childhood development, education or recreation.
The Special Programs Division is responsible for the operation of several of the Commission's self-sustaining and revenue generating facilities, which are financed primarily by user fees and charges. They are operated to serve the specialized recreational needs of the County's residents without unnecessarily taxing those who do not utilize those services. Such facilities include swimming pools, ice rinks, snack bars, and merchandise sales. The Division will develop a custom internship program in any area of facility management, including aquatics and ice arenas. The financial emphasis and operating procedures of the Division will address many areas of commercial recreation.
The Special Programs Division also promotes and provides recreational programs and services for individuals with disabilities. The Division provides resource information and technical support to M-NCPPC staff, community groups, and other metropolitan agencies serving individuals with disabilities. Diverse community based recreational programs are developed to meet a wide variety of individual as well as group needs. An array of internships is available in the Division's seasonal and year-round programs. Day camps, after-school programs, social clubs, leisure skills development programs, sports and outdoor programs, and seasonal classes are just a few of the opportunities available to students. Programs are designed to provide opportunities that promote skill development, socialization, and fun! Activities may include swimming, nature, sports, trips, music, dance, and drama. The Division advocates for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all of the Department's programs and services. Internships are available under the supervision of certified personnel.
The Maintenance and Development Division is responsible for maintaining the Department's park land and facilities and new park construction. The Division consists of a complete maintenance staff, including trades personnel, heavy equipment operators, vehicle mechanics, and horticulture specialists. Student fieldwork is available in a number of park maintenance areas including landscape maintenance, turf maintenance, forestry, plant propagation, and inventory control.
This Division offers activities in conservation, nature study, environmental education, and natural area management in Prince George's County. Programs of the Division include ecology clubs, farm tours, boat trips, canoeing, camping, and related outdoor and nature recreation activities. Facilities include the Old Maryland Farm, Watkins Nature Center, Clearwater Nature Center, Mt. Rainier Nature and Recreation Center, Bladensburg Waterfront Park, the park ranger Program, and Patuxent River Park. Due to the very broad application of conservation and interpretation activities addressed by this Division, internships provide students with opportunities in the following areas:
The Park Planning and Development Division is responsible for planning the future growth of the Department. Its major functions include determining land acquisition and facility development needs as well as conducting specific park area and special studies. Student internships are available in several functional areas including park planning, landscape design, and environmental planning.
The objective of the Sports/Permits Division is to establish and administer a comprehensive, competitive sports program for youth and adults and of Prince George's County as well as manage a variety of facilties associated with such programs. A student participating in an internship with the Division would be required to assist in the implementation and coordination of various youth, adult, and special event programs. Examples of tasks that the student might be involved with include: coordinating special events and trips; supervising tournaments and playoffs; assisting in scheduling leagues, clinics, and workshops; compiling and maintaining league standings and working with athletic support organizations such as the AAU, USSSA, USVBA, Potomac valley Track & Field Federation, ASA, MRPA, NSA, and USGF.
Area Operations (Community Recreation Programming)
Joseph O'Neill - 301-445-4500, Fax 301-445-4821, TTY 301-445-4512, Email: Joe.ONeill@pgparks.com
Kirk Lovell - 301-218-6700, Fax 301-218-6767, TTY 301-218-6768, Email: Kirk.Lovell@pgparks.com
Debbie Tyner - 301-203-6000, Fax 301-292-7856, TTY 301-203-6030, Email: Debbie.Tyner@pgparks.com
Arts and Cultural Heritage Division
Barbara Funk - 301-454-1450, Fax 301-454-1454, TTY 301-454-1472, Email: Barbara.Funk@pgparks.com
Special Programs Division
Emily Rose - 301-454-1480 Fax 301-454-1498, TTY 301-454-1493, Email: Emily.Rose@pgparks.com
Therapeutic Recreation
Darilyn Marinelli - 301-454-1480, Fax 301-454-1454, TTY 301-454-1493, Email: Darilyn.Marinelli@pgparks.com
Maintenance and Development Division
Wally Stephenson - 301-780-2445, Fax 301-780-2360, Email: Wally.Stephenson@pgparks.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
Anthony Nolan - 301-627-2270, Fax 301-952-0936, Email: Anthony.Nolan@pgparks.com
The Division is also responsible for interpreting and preserving history and historic sites in Prince George's County. Our internships offer training in related fields, including museum management, collections, conservation, museum design, exhibits, research, archaeology, African-American history, history and museum programs, data entry, collections cataloguing, writing and editing, photography, videography, etc. We encourage interns to create their own projects or ideas, but we also have several of our own. Some examples of programs interns could work on are: developing traveling exhibits for County schools and libraries on any number of historic themes or sites, developing children's programs, researching and developing information on children's games and activities in the 18th-20th c., cataloguing a museum's collections on the Division's computer system, encapsulating photographs at any number of historic sites, developing or working on a newsletter or assisting with excavations. There are many activities in which interns can participate with this Division and accrue good working experience. Flexible days and hours are available, although there are some programs and sites that are more restrictive due to their open hours and staffing. Our historic sites are located throughout the County and include: Montpelier (Laurel), Riversdale (Riverdale), College Park Aviation Museum (College Park), Marietta (Bowie), Darnall's Chance House Museum (Upper Marlboro), the Surratt House (Clinton) as well as the Archeology Program (Upper Marlboro). Some internships can be done primarily off-site, such as those requiring research, writing, or computer work.
Park Planning and Development Division
Chuck Montrie - 301-699-2520, Fax 301-277-9041, Email: Chuck.Montrie@pgparks.com
Sports/Permits Division
Hugh Cottington - 301-918-8100 Fax 301-918-8124, TTY 301-918-8123, Email: Hugh.Cottington@pgparks.com
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The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County |