Events & PR Internship – Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. – Chicago, IL

Communications, Events, and Public Relations Internship at Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc.

The successful candidate will be interested in gaining broad-based communications, events and public relations experience in a multi-faceted, ever-changing, non-profit environment. Interns will work alongside regular McKinley development staff for between 16 and 20 hours per week. Interns positioned to gain knowhow and experience in the development office of a community services organization should have taken English, communications, and/or journalism courses and possess strong writing, speaking, analytical, and teamwork skills. New graduates/students will be trained to participate in annual, project, and events planning, specifically an annual education luncheon and golf outing; augment donor/sponsor relationships; produce and distribute marketing materials; produce concise articles for publication in social media and newsletters; write and disseminate press releases to media; conduct telephone follow-up to press releases; develop copy for brochures, program booklets and fact sheets; and write solicitation and thank you letters. Two positions are available.

Specific Experiences to be gained:

Input in the creative planning of annual development activities and special events

Donor and sponsor relations

Interviewing of subjects for articles and social media blurbs

Writing of articles for newsletters and brochure copy

Writing and dissemination of press releases

Telephone follow-up to media outlets

Mastery of event-related tasks such as sponsor follow-up, guests registration, table seating charts and other key document development and updating, photo shot-sheet creation, photographer’s assistance duties, communication with catering personnel

Opportunity to work close up with experienced development professionals

Qualifications:

Minimum of junior-level college status

Successful completion of sophomore level English, communications, and/or journalism courses

Strong journalistic writing skills and writing samples (can be unpublished course assignments)

Good verbal communication skills

Professional and interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Must be seeking a non-paid, educational and career enhancing internship

Desired Qualifications

Familiarity with the city and willingness to travel on public transit system on occasion is a plus