Community Engagement Intern

Organization: United Way of Cayuga County 

Program Structure (applies to all tracks) 

8–12 hours/week  

10–12 week semester alignment  

Hybrid – flexible scheduling 

Includes capstone project + final presentation  

One shared orientation, then track-specific work  

The Volunteer Experience Internship Program offers students a hands-on opportunity to support Volunteer Cayuga and strengthen local nonprofit capacity through meaningful, skill-building work. Interns complete a shared orientation and then join one of three tracks based on interest—community outreach, volunteer communications, or data and impact—while working closely with a United Way staff mentor. Throughout the semester, interns contribute to real projects that expand volunteer engagement, improve partner support, and help tell the story of community impact, culminating in a capstone project and final presentation. 

Track 1: Community Engagement & Outreach 

Internship Job Description: Community Engagement & Outreach Intern (Stipend Available) 

Time Commitment: 8–12 hours/week for 10–12 weeks (semester aligned) | Format: Hybrid with flexible scheduling | Supervision: United Way staff mentor 

Position Summary: The Community Engagement & Outreach Intern supports Volunteer Cayuga by building and strengthening relationships with nonprofits, schools, and local partners. The intern helps expand awareness of volunteer opportunities and improves how agencies engage with the network. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Conduct outreach to nonprofits, schools, and businesses to increase participation in Volunteer Cayuga. 

Assist with community engagement efforts (tabling, flyer distribution, event support, and follow-up). 

Support onboarding of new partner agencies, including basic orientation to expectations and platform use (as applicable). 

Complete partner check-ins and document needs, barriers, and success stories for internal use. 

Help maintain organized partner contact lists and outreach tracking. 

Qualifications: Interest in community engagement and relationship-building; strong written and verbal communication; reliability and professionalism; comfort speaking with new people and representing the organization.  

Preferred: Experience with outreach, customer service, campus/community involvement, or event support; familiarity with Cayuga County community resources. 

Learning Outcomes: Professional communication, partner relationship management, and community-based outreach strategy. 

Capstone Project: Each intern completes a capstone project (with a final presentation) aligned to team needs—examples include a targeted recruitment campaign, an outreach strategy for underrepresented neighborhoods, or a plan to increase nonprofit sign-ups in a priority sector. 

Compensation: Stipend available ($500-$1000, based on experience and available funding). 

How to Apply: Email a short statement of interest and resume to Lisa Kaminski, Executive Director, at lkaminski@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org with the subject line: Internship Semester Year. Please include your availability, relevant coursework/experience, and the track you are applying for. 

Best for: Communications, human services, public relations, and education majors 

Focus: Building community relationships and growing the Volunteer Cayuga network 

Core Work: 

Outreach to nonprofits, schools, and businesses  

Attend community events (tabling, flyer distribution)  

Support onboarding of new agencies  

Conduct check-ins with partners  

Capstone Examples: 

“Increase nonprofit sign-ups by 20% in X sector”  

Community outreach campaign for underrepresented neighborhoods  

Event-based volunteer recruitment strategy  

Skills Gained: 

Professional communication  

Relationship management  

Community-based outreach strategy  

Track 2: Volunteer Experience & Communications 

Internship Job Description: Volunteer Experience & Communications Intern (Stipend Available) 

Time Commitment: 8–12 hours/week for 10–12 weeks (semester aligned) | Format: Hybrid with flexible scheduling | Supervision: United Way staff mentor 

Position Summary: The Volunteer Experience & Communications Intern helps improve how volunteers discover opportunities, get oriented, and stay engaged. The intern supports messaging, content creation, and feedback loops that strengthen the overall volunteer journey. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Support volunteer engagement through email or messaging campaigns (drafts, scheduling support, basic list management). 

Create and refresh promotional content (flyers, social posts, short newsletter blurbs, and volunteer spotlights). 

Collect volunteer feedback, testimonials, and success stories; organize insights for staff review. 

Help improve volunteer onboarding materials (welcome messages, FAQs, checklists, and simple guides). 

Track basic engagement metrics (open rates, click rates, responses) and summarize learnings. 

Qualifications: Strong writing and editing skills; attention to detail; interest in marketing/communications or volunteer engagement; comfort learning new tools and following brand/voice guidance; ability to manage multiple small tasks consistently. 

Preferred: Basic design/content experience (e.g., Canva or similar); experience writing for social media or newsletters; familiarity with community organizations or volunteer programs. 

Learning Outcomes: Audience engagement, content creation, and user-experience thinking applied to volunteer programs. 

Capstone Project: Each intern completes a capstone project (with a final presentation) aligned to team needs—examples include a volunteer retention campaign, an engagement calendar with templates, or a redesigned onboarding journey. 

Compensation: Stipend available ($500-$1000, based on experience and available funding). 

How to Apply: Email a short statement of interest and resume to Lisa Kaminski, Executive Director, at lkaminski@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org with the subject line: Internship Semester Year. Please include your availability, relevant coursework/experience, and the track you are applying for. 

Best for: Marketing, communications, psychology, and English 

Focus: Improving how volunteers interact with your platform 

Core Work: 

Engage volunteers through email or messaging campaigns  

Develop promotional content (flyers, posts, newsletters)  

Gather volunteer feedback and testimonials  

Improve onboarding experience  

Capstone Examples: 

Volunteer retention campaign  

Monthly engagement calendar + templates  

Redesign of volunteer onboarding journey  

Skills Gained: 

Audience engagement  

Content creation  

User experience thinking  

Track 3: Data, Systems & Impact 

Internship Job Description: Data, Systems & Impact Intern (Stipend Available) 

Time Commitment: 8–12 hours/week for 10–12 weeks (semester aligned) | Format: Hybrid with flexible scheduling | Supervision: United Way staff mentor 

Position Summary: The Data, Systems & Impact Intern helps to make Volunteer Cayuga more strategic by improving data quality, tracking outcomes, and translating metrics into insights. The intern supports reporting for internal planning, community partners, and funders. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Track and summarize core volunteer metrics (e.g., sign-ups, hours, retention) in collaboration with staff. 

Clean, organize, and maintain datasets and documentation to improve consistency and usability. 

Identify trends, gaps, and opportunities (by agency type, geography, or volunteer pathway) and propose actionable recommendations. 

Support reporting needs for grants, stakeholders, and internal dashboards. 

Assist with light process mapping/system improvements (templates, tracking systems, or standard operating steps). 

Qualifications: Interest in data-informed decision-making; strong attention to detail; ability to work with spreadsheets and organize information; basic analytical thinking (summarizing, comparing, spotting patterns); discretion with potentially sensitive information. 

Preferred: Experience with Excel/Google Sheets (filters, pivot tables, charts); coursework in analytics, information systems, or research methods; comfort explaining data clearly to non-technical audiences. 

Learning Outcomes: Data analysis, systems thinking, and translating metrics into decisions and recommendations. 

Capstone Project: Each intern completes a capstone project (with a final presentation) aligned to team needs—examples include a staff-friendly volunteer dashboard, an engagement trends analysis with recommendations, or an agency activity report and improvement plan. 

Compensation: Stipend available ($500-$1000, based on experience and available funding). 

How to Apply: Email a short statement of interest and resume to Lisa Kaminski, Executive Director, at lkaminski@unitedwayofcayugacounty.org with the subject line: Internship Semester Year. Please include your availability, relevant coursework/experience, and the track you are applying for. 

Best for: Business, data analytics, social sciences, and IT 

Focus: Making the platform smarter and more strategic 

Core Work: 

Track volunteer metrics (sign-ups, hours, retention)  

Clean and organize data  

Identify trends and gaps  

Support reporting for grants and stakeholders  

Capstone Examples: 

Volunteer dashboard (simple + usable by staff)  

Analysis of engagement trends with recommendations  

Agency activity report + improvement plan  

Skills Gained: 

Data analysis  

Systems thinking  

Translating data into decisions