Reiman Gardens' 2023 student interns on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens

Internship Program

Mission and Purpose

The mission of Reiman Gardens’ Internship Program is to promote the professional and intellectual development of students through a multi-disciplinary educational approach and hands-on work experience. Reiman Gardens' interns go on to become experts and leaders in their chosen fields. There are opportunities for experience in event management, education, marketing, plant collections, and of course, a variety of facets of horticulture - from landscaping and design to community and edible gardening.

Reiman Gardens’ interns are partnered with a full-time professional staff member to explore day-to-day duties and experiences in an innovative public garden setting. Each summer intern is required to work in their specialized area four and a half days a week, with time reserved for educational experiences, demonstrations, and field trips for a total of ~40 hours per week (20 for semester internships), including some weekend and evening hours.  Each department provides additional internship components to help students build skills that extend beyond daily work, and which help make interns highly competitive professional job-seekers. Examples may include:

  • opportunities for self-reflection
  • education sessions providing operational understanding of public gardens, museums, and other non-profits
  • field trips to similar organizations
  • tours of Reiman Gardens' plant, invertebrate, and art collections
  • interdepartmental rotation experiences
  • marketing experience creating videos for social media and mobile content for visitor engagement
  • public speaking (summer interns will present a public program together near the end of the internship)

See below for additional information on specific area internships.

 

Public Events - SPRING 2026

Applications are open through December 1.

The spring Event Management intern will assist with the planning and execution of public events at Reiman Gardens throughout the spring. Spring events include Orchid Fest, Quilt Show, Spring Enchantment Festival, and more. Duties may include planning, organizing and developing activities, coordinating vendors and completing room set ups. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events. Compensation is $15.00/hour.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Public Events - Summer 2026

Applications are open through February 1.

The summer Event Management intern will assist with the planning and execution of public events at Reiman Gardens throughout the summer. Summer events include Garden Art Fair, Pollinator Fest, the Rose Show, concert series and more. Duties may include planning, organizing and developing activities, coordinating vendors and completing room set ups. The intern will also on occasion be responsible for moving tables and chairs to prepare indoor or outdoor spaces for various events.  Compensation is $15.00/hour.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Private Events - Summer 2026

Applications will be open soon.

More information coming soon!

 

Youth & Family Education

Applications are open through December 31.

The Education intern develops lesson plans and leads youth & family summer programming, particularly on-site programs such as youth summer camps and large group tours. This intern also assists with the coordination and implementation of written garden and exhibit interpretation, virtual content, web engagement, and supporting interdepartmental educational projects.  May also develop and/or support adult continuing education programs and volunteer engagement projects.  Emphasis is aligning programming with Reiman Gardens’ mission and annual theme, as well as connecting youth programs to Next Generation Science Standards.  This internship requires some weekend and evening hours.  Compensation is $15.00/hour.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

 

 

Social Media - Summer 2026
Applications will be open December 1 through February 1.

The Social Media intern will work creatively with the Marketing team to create content for social media, assist and/or lead marketing campaigns for events, and contribute to strategic content for advertising, to help grow Reiman Gardens’ attendance and reach. Regular responsibilities include developing a social media content calendar, content creation (photos, videos, reels, stories, and posts), analyzing social media metrics, and copy writing. The intern may also do some light graphic design work. This internship requires some weekend and evening hours.  Compensation is $15.00/hour.  

 

Landscape Horticulture - Summer 2026
Check back soon for openings in 2026.

The Landscape Horticulture Intern will assist with maintaining the outside garden displays and landscapes at Reiman Gardens, with an emphasis on developing basic horticulture skills such as weeding, watering, mulching, edging, pruning, fertilizing, maintaining annuals displays and water features. The intern will work with various garden equipment and tools, such as hand tools, small engine equipment, manual-transmission utility vehicles, and heavy equipment. The intern will also work in various styles of gardening (roses, edible plants, aquatic plants, herbs, sensory plants, native plants, woody plants, etc.) while rotating through garden spaces over the course of the summer. 

There are hours available in the spring and fall semesters for ongoing employment beyond the internship program. Compensation is $14.00-14.75/hr. depending on experience. The ideal candidate will have career goals in public horticulture, the ability to work independently, and the flexibility and resourcefulness to work in a fast-paced environment.  

Plant Collections - Summer 2026
Check back soon for openings in 2026.

The Plant Collections Intern will assist with maintaining the plant collection records at Reiman Gardens and providing educational materials about the collection to the public.  The intern will work with several computer software programs like AutoCAD and Excel, and will also survey garden spaces, work with volunteers to collect and preserve plant materials, and create educational videos for the public highlighting current plants of interest. 

There are hours available in the spring and fall semesters for ongoing employment beyond the internship program. Compensation is $14.00-14.75/hr. depending on experience. The ideal candidate will have strong attention to detail, plant identification skills, and the ability to work independently.  

See what our 2025 summer interns have been up to!

My education internship changed the way I viewed my role as an educator, especially outside of a classroom setting. It set me on a new trajectory for my future career.

Logan Metzger, Education Intern, 2021

For further information please contact:

Event Management (Public Events): Emory Telios 515-294-8981 emoryb@iastate.edu 

Event Management (Private Events): Saylor Upah 515-294-6356 upahsay@iastate.edu 

Education: Molly Barten 515-294-9012 msbarten@iastate.edu  

Marketing/Social Media: Andrew Gogerty 515-294-4169 gogertya@iastate.edu 

Horticulture/Plant Collections: Sarah Rummery 515-294-0305 srummery@iastate.edu 

 

 

a group of students standing in front of a green painted wall
Beetle Catching
Group Photo from camp