Ascendium paid internships benefit students, colleges and employers.

Internship Eligibility

• Pays $10 per hour for 20 hours a week. Students must apply for the Internship and if selected, fill-out required internship forms available at the Internship and Career Services Director’s office.
• Eligible students must be currently enrolled, full-time, undergraduate, degree-seeking meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements and show financial need.
• Students that already hold a student worker or Work-Study position will not be eligible for this paid internship award.
• IAIA Staff and Faculty can hire a student for the paid internship (not currently a student worker or Work-Study position) and must submit the required paperwork to the Internship and Career Services Director at careers@iaia.edu.
• Open to organizations, galleries, film industry, museums that can provide a meaningful internship experience for Cinematic Arts & Technology, Creative Writing, Indigenous Liberal Studies, Museum Studies, or Studio Arts majors.
• Student can select their own site and setup their interview with site. Or contact the Internship and Career Director who can assist with the contact and coordination of site selection or site setup process. Note: Student may not begin internship until all hiring documents are complete through IAIA Human Resources.

Participating Internship Hosts

Previous and current internship hosts include Patricia Michaels (PM Waterlily), Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, IAIA Indigenous Liberal Studies Department, Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery, IAIA Library, New Mexico State Film Office, New Mexico History Museum, Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, SWAIA, Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, Duchy Films, Wheeler Museum, and Meow Wolf.

For more information, please contact Internship and Career Services Director at (505) 424-2319 or careers@iaia.edu.

Apprenticeships place students in a direct one-on-one mentoring relationship with an elder, a master artist, or a cultural expert who is willing to share his or her expertise and experience with a student. The student is to provide assistance to the mentor on a specific project or undertaking. In this way, through observation and direct involvement, students will become familiar with new artistic processes, cultural practices and related approaches.

All students keep a journal to document their learning. Each student will write a final reflective paper. Mentors will complete an evaluation commenting on student learning through this experience.

Over four years, students may enroll in two levels of apprenticeships for variable credit. Students may enroll in 1-6 credit apprenticeships.

• Apprenticeship I 295
• Apprenticeship II 495

Apprenticeships are available in the following programs:

• MUSM295, MUSM 495 Museum Studies for one-on-one learning with an independent curator or related project.
• ARTS295, ARTS495 Studio Arts for one-on-one learning with a master artist or craftsperson. Any of the following prefixes may be used: CERA, JEWL, PRTM, SCUP, PHOT, PTNG.
• IDST295, IDST495, Indigenous Studies for one-on-one learning from a tribally-acknowledged expert.
• NMAD295, NMAD495 New Media Arts for one-on-one learning with an independent media artist or graphic artist.
• CRWR295, CRWR495 Creative Writing for one-on-one learning with a writer.

Internships place students within existing organizations to learn directly from fellow employees, volunteers, clients and others. Internships provide valuable hands-on real world opportunities for student learning to deepen and strengthen classroom instruction and prepare students for professional careers in their chosen fields.

Students report to workplace supervisors and fulfill workplace expectations to receive academic credit. All students keep a journal to document their learning. They will write a final reflective paper. Workplace supervisors will complete an evaluation form commenting on student’s learning in the workplace.

Over their four years, students may enroll in two levels of internships for variable credit. Students may enroll in 1 to 6 credit internships.

• Internship I 290 (Prerequisite: 2nd year standing)
• Internship II 490 (Prerequisite: 3rd year standing)

Internships are available in the following programs:

• MUSM290, MUSM490 Museum Studies-for work in galleries or museums

ARTS290, ARTS490 Studio Arts for work in galleries and arts organizations any of the following prefixes may be used:

• CERA, JEWL, PRTM, SCUP, PHOT, PTNG.
• IDST290, IDST490 Indigenous Studies for work in tribal organizations and institutions serving Native peoples. ASG officers may choose to receive internship credit for their work.
• NMAD290, NMAD490 New Media Arts for work in graphic design, web design or moving image media.
• CRWR290, CRWR490 Creative Writing for work in publications, public relations, publishing, journalism, theater, or performing arts organizations.

An independent study provides an opportunity for an upper level student to work individually in a self-designed study under the guidance and direction of a fulltime faculty member.

A student may not use more than three independent studies or a total of 9 credits toward the completion of a degree. An independent study does not satisfy general education requirements.