Oral History Fellow; Summer

Position: Oral History Fellow (Summer)
Location: Interlochen

Experience an unforgettable summer at Interlochen, where creativity thrives in the heart of nature! Join our vibrant community for Interlochen Arts Camp 2026 where passionate individuals come together to make art, make friends, and make lifelong memories. In the serene and rustic setting of northern Michigan, you'll inspire the next generation of artists while embracing the beauty and challenges of wilderness living.

Embrace the magic and make a lasting impact!

Position Overview
Interlochen Arts Camp is a vibrant and inclusive summer camp that offers campers ages 8-18 an unforgettable experience filled with artistic excellence, fun, learning, and personal growth. Join us for an enriching summer as an Oral History Fellow. Each summer, the Office of Engagement welcomes hundreds of alumni, former faculty, staff, and parents back to campus to reengage with the Interlochen they experienced.

As Interlochen approaches our centennial in 2028, we're ramping up our effort to collect their Interlochen memories, stories, and moments of inspiration.
Join us in the summer of 2026 and help us continue the legacy of fostering creativity, nurturing talent, and celebrating the individual artistic journey  are seeking a customer-focused and detail-oriented Oral History Fellow who embodies our core values and are committed to nurturing young artists. As an Oral History Fellow, you will work as part of the Office of Engagement (alumni relations) team to collect and process brief oral histories (vignettes), including welcoming, orienting, interviewing, and recording subjects, and editing, cataloging, and archiving the resulting content, while fully immersing yourself in the unique environment that only a summer camp can offer.

In this role, you'll meet alumni from all over the world, hear their incredible stories, and help them reconnect with their formative years 'll also gain valuable experience in constituent engagement and relationship-building, which are critical needs of every arts organization.
What You Get To Do

Provide exceptional service, whether in person, on the phone, or in writing, by displaying a strong customer-centric attitude and maintaining a friendly and flexible attitude while hosting alumni, parents, and other guests
Support the continued development of an oral history program at Interlochen as it relates to Interlochen's centennial celebration and the recording of stakeholder vignettes in person, both on- and off-campus, and online
Assist in the planning and execution of more in-depth interviews with select individuals who have deep Interlochen ties as needed
Inform the ongoing development of questions and prompts to elicit insightful and relevant oral histories/vignettes in the time allotted
Conduct background research on subjects to prepare for interviews and improve the integrity of our database
Conduct effective and efficient pre-session meetings as needed to prepare guests to share their Interlochen story successfully
Record oral history vignettes/interviews using digital recording tools with keen attention to ensuring the best sound quality possible
Prompt subjects/guest(s) as needed to endure clarity, consistency, and conciseness of their stories
Edit the resulting audio/video files for clarity, consistency, and conciseness
Leverage transcription tools to provide an accurate transcript of the interview for review by the interviewee
Prepare and produce written transcripts, including reviewing, proofreading, and reformatting as needed
Catalog digital audio/visual media and document according to established archival methods; create metadata for digital files
Support the continued development of tools to provide appropriate access to archived oral histories
Produce written reports, short articles, social media contributions, and other written materials as needed.
Assist with other Office of Engagement onsite programs as required.
Exercise discretion with sensitive and personal information.
Work a varied schedule that includes both evening and weekend hours.
Seek the best use of materials, equipment, and staff to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
Comply with ICA policies/procedures and is a good steward of ICA finances.
Respect the culture, diversity, and rights of all students, their families, and the community.
Prioritize duties in a manner consistent with organizational objectives and growth.
Interface professionally with alumni, parents, students, administration, faculty, staff, donors, patrons, and visitors.

What You Get

Compensation: $4,160
Meals and on-campus lodging
10% tuition discount for Discovery Camp or 50% Interlochen Arts Camp for dependents
20% discount for tickets to most summer concerts.
15% discount on merchandise from Scholarshop and food/beverages from Melody Freeze