careers & internships

Internships at Minnetrista

Being an intern at Minnetrista can be the first step in the development of your career. Internships offer you the chance to integrate classroom theory with real-world work experience. Interns have made strong contributions to the success and growth of Minnetrista. We are proud to offer diverse learning opportunities to the students of East Central Indiana and beyond. We look forward to working with you! Please email your resume and cover letter to James Mitchell after you apply with the button below. Contact James Mitchell for more information.

GIS Horticulture Internship
Natural Areas Internship
Orchard and Herb Garden Internship

Internship Testimonials

“Throughout my time spent interning at Minnetrista, I've learned far more than what I initially expected regarding event planning and management. As a graduating master's student heading into the professional world very soon, the firsthand experience I received was crucial for my development. Through assisting hospitality operations, engaging in client planning meetings, and participating in the development of events held on Minnetrista's campus, I was able to supersede my initial goals of developing further as a professional and strengthening the connection with the Muncie community.

For me, the most rewarding experiences have been ones where I was given the opportunity to feel like a member of the organization. Being able to assist in editing the hospitality and wedding guides to fit client experience has proven this organization's value of including the work of interns. In order to connect the various pieces, I was able to work with different staff members from various departments and gain access to materials that allowed me to fully collaborate within the professional workspace and contribute back to the organization. As it relates to their mission, the value of engagement and connection is something I will never forget.”

—Gina Esposito, Ball State University, 2022 Hospitality & Events Intern

“Working at Minnetrista as a Nature Area intern provided me with the outdoor conservation and cultural experience I had been hoping for. Growing up in Muncie, I have seen how Minnetrista has truly served as the gathering place for our community, and I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to give back and help maintain the ecosystems thriving within the Nature Area. As an Environmental Geoscience undergraduate major pursuing a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, this internship allowed me to bring these interests together and create my own project that diversified my portfolio while also learning more about native and invasive plant species.

Based on the freedom provided within the structure of the internship, I was able to create a keystone project that examined the slope erosion and instability along the Cardinal Point Slope in the center of the Nature Area. Not only was I able to draw on my geologic knowledge of soil processes, but I was able to research various solutions and create a design that I found to best fit the needs of restoring slope stability and reseeding the sparse plantings along the slope while maintaining a reasonable budget and adjusting the project to fit within the time and labor constraints. I ended up producing two twin terraces using branches, leaf litter, and compost from throughout the Nature Area and Minnetrista’s campus to keep the biological material produced within the cyclical ecosystem and seeding the terraces with almost 1,000 native plant species.

I am extremely grateful for the guidance, support, freedom, and new skills I gained while in this position, and I am especially grateful that I can share my hard work with the rest of my community.”

—Kelby Stallings, DePauw University, 2021 Nature Area Intern