Membership Intern

The Missouri Historical Society is accepting applications from current college students who are interested in museum work, nonprofit administration, or member/donor engagement and seek a paid internship within the Development Department at the Missouri History Museum. This internship is in person and reports to the Membership Coordinator. The Membership internship provides students with hands-on experience in nonprofit membership operations and public engagement at a historical society.

The intern will learn how a cultural institution maintains relationships with members and donors, supports events, and communicates with the public. Through tasks like membership fulfillment, donor calls, and assisting with small events, the Membership intern will develop professional skills in organization, customer service, and administrative operations while gaining a behind-the-scenes understanding of how membership programs support a nonprofit's mission.

Schedule The Membership intern is expected to work a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 hours per week for 10 to 12 weeks. The schedule is flexible and will be coordinated with the supervisor to accommodate the intern's availability. Some evenings and weekends may be required to support events and programming.

The intern's responsibilities will include (but not be limited to):

The Membership intern will support the Membership Department in operational, communications, and event-related tasks, gaining meaningful exposure to how a historical society engages and serves its members.

Key Responsibilities:

Handle member requests from email, surveys, and phone calls with professionalism.

Update membership records in the CRM for new, renewing, and upgrading members.

Prepare, fulfill, and distribute membership mailings.

Make thank-you calls to donors to strengthen personal connections.

Draft and produce seasonal membership e-newsletters and occasional artifact spotlights.

Help plan and coordinate small members-only events and tours.

Support Young Friends board projects and programming.

Represent Membership at events by tabling and engaging visitors.

Manage auction membership distribution for winners accurately and promptly.

Intern

Qualifications:

College student entering sophomore year or above or recent graduate

Interest in museum studies, history, development, and nonprofit operations

Must have proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, strong written and oral communication skills, and customer service experience or interest. Must be comfortable having conversations on the phone. CRM experience a plus but not required.

Strong interpersonal skills for interacting with staff, members, and donors; attention to detail; reliability and professionalism

Experience in administrative tasks and handling phone and email inquiries

Ability to multitask, handle fluctuating volumes of member requests, and assist with special projects or events as needed

Learning Objectives:

Gain an understanding of nonprofit membership operations, including fulfillment, communications, and donor/member management.

Develop professional communication skills and practice clear, professional written and verbal communication skills.

Support and coordinate events:
Learn the logistics of small-scale member events, including planning, coordination, and on-site support.

Engage with the public and donors:
Build confidence in public-facing roles by representing the organization at events, answering questions, and promoting membership benefits.

The applicant must provide a résumé and a short statement of interest and/or intent in applying for the internship. For unpaid internships, an unofficial college or university transcript must also be uploaded with the application. For questions, please contact Kat Bourek at kbourek.