Internship Opportunities

The Blue Ribbon Foundation is currently promoting our upcoming internship opportunities. We hope to hire two spring semester/summer interns and two summer interns. DISCLAIMER: This is not your typical internship.

Each intern will become a true member of the Blue Ribbon Foundation team, having direct responsibility for integral Foundation programs with the goal of making sure committed donors have a strong and lasting relationship with the Iowa State Fair. The Foundation would not be successful without the help of our summer interns. Since the internship program started in 1993, the positions have adjusted to fit our growing needs. Below is an outline of the current positions:

• Public Relations: Publicize and coordinate the Iowan of the Day program. Promote other events with various communication materials.
• Donor Relations: Coordinate special events, donor communications and correspondence with the corporate sector.
• Volunteer Relations: Schedule and manage more than 600 volunteers for three events.
• Business Relations: Oversee the logistics of the water program including management of summer staff, orders, distribution, and warehouse organization.

An important aspect to a Foundation internship is that each student is able utilize their existing skills when completing a project. Interns work independently and have the opportunity to take ownership of a specific task. At the same time, we challenge our interns to expand their skills by completing projects they might not have previous knowledge of. (As a staff, we do our best to prepare students for the real world working environment.)

There is a wide range of tasks each summer intern will complete including social media, marketing initiatives, organization of fundraising auction, coordination of Fairgrounds 5K race, designing merchandise and other event materials. An intern will organize the Woodcarver’s Auction, coordinate the Fair Squares, create event invitations and advertising materials.

I’ve stayed in touch with a few previous interns and I did a little digging to see where other Foundation interns are currently working: Amazon, Lessing-Flynn, Webspec Design, Fourge Social, Schwan’s, United State Senate, Russell, Kansas State Navigators, Target, Keller Williams Realty, American Heart Association, Wells Fargo, Chamber of Commerce, Corner Post Marketing Communications, Iowa 4-H Foundation…the list goes on and on.

After graduation, some interns completed graduate school, some moved across the country and some stayed in Iowa to start their career. There are several previous interns that now volunteer with the Foundation or have other connections to the Iowa State Fair – sponsors, exhibitors or just avid Fairgoers!

If you know of a college student looking for an internship, encourage them to apply. (Applications will be accepted until December 31.) 

A few intern pictures: