Applications for Fall 2025 sustainability internships are now being accepted!
Are you a student interested in making a difference and gaining professional development experience? The following paid opportunities are available to all current Wake Forest University students. Unless otherwise indicated, all internships are slated to begin on or around August 19, 2025. See individual descriptions for the duration of each position. Most positions are eligible for renewal in subsequent semesters based on availability and performance.
Available Positions
Click on the position titles below to read their full descriptions.
Peer Education & Engagement Internship
Photography & Multimedia Internship
Sustainability Career Network Internship
SUMMER 2025 Position: Waste Reduction & Diversion Internship
Dining Engagement Internship
This is a year-long position beginning in August 2025 and continuing through the Spring 2026 semester. This position will dually report to Harvest Table Culinary Group and the Office of Sustainability.
The Dining Engagement Intern will develop, create, and implement new and existing initiatives educating customers on the components of sustainable dining at Wake Forest as well as to effect sustainable behaviors. Engagement will be focused largely on students, but may also include internal engagement for Harvest Table staff. Requirements include a creative mind, excellent time management and communication skills, and an interest in interacting with large numbers of people, both in person and through social media. This position will also work closely and collaboratively with the Dining Operations Intern and be advised through the sustainable dining working group. In their cover letter, candidates should describe their areas of interest and their experience with sustainable food systems, conducting outreach, and/or planning events.
Dining Operations Internship
This is a year-long position beginning in August 2025 and continuing through the Spring 2026 semester. This position will dually report to Harvest Table Culinary Group and the Office of Sustainability.
The Dining Operations Intern will focus on projects and initiatives that reduce the carbon footprint of Wake Forest’s dining operations. Potential tasks may include, but are not limited to:
- Auditing purchasing reports
- Identifying areas for enhancing Harvest Table’s sustainable food spend (third-party certified and plant-based) and/or reducing the impact of single-use flatware
- Assessing pre-consumer food waste metrics and developing mitigation strategies
- Improving waste diversion processes
The successful candidate will be self-motivated and possess analytical skills, experience with data, and an operational mindset. This position will also work closely and collaboratively with the Dining Engagement Intern and be advised through the sustainable dining working group. In their cover letter, candidates should describe their areas of interest and their experience within the field of sustainable food and/or research and data.
Peer Education & Engagement Internship
This position will run for the entirety of the Fall 2025 semester with the opportunity to extend through Spring 2026. There is also the potential for optional work in Summer 2025 for those in North Carolina.
What do I put in the recycling bins at Wake? How can I conserve energy and water in the residence halls? Do my food choices actually have an impact on the environment? These are just a few of the questions asked by Wake students as they consider how to align their actions with sustainability and a Pro Humanitate mindset. The Peer Education & Engagement Intern will be responsible for closing this knowledge gap and ensuring that all Deacs understand what actions they can take to make a difference on campus and beyond. Requirements include a self-starter mindset, excellent organizational and face-to-face communication skills, and a friendly and welcoming personality. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Assessing sustainability knowledge gaps on campus
- Conducting educational outreach through frequent tabling, especially with first-year students
- Creating engaging events that help further sustainability education and a campus-wide culture of sustainability
- Collaborating with other campus leaders, such as Faculty Fellows, RAs, Student Government, and student organization exec members, to reach targeted groups of students
- Working closely with and mentoring members of the Sustainability Ambassadors program
- Presenting to student groups on event planning and other topics
Photography & Multimedia Intern
This position will run for the entirety of the Fall 2025 semester, with the opportunity to extend through Spring 2026. This internship is anticipated to require 4-5 hours of work per week.
The Photography & Multimedia Intern will assist in capturing, editing, and producing content for the Office of Sustainability. Responsibilities include assisting with photo shoots, creating short-form videos, managing digital assets, and supporting the Office of Sustainability’s content creation needs, while building a professional portfolio. Ideal candidates are creative, detail-oriented, and proficient in digital photography and basic photo and video editing, with a passion for visual storytelling. With your application, please include two to three samples showcasing your previous work in photography, photo editing, and/or video creation.
SLG Student Coordinator
This is a year-long position beginning in August 2025 and continuing through the Spring 2026 semester. Only students who have already participated in SLG are eligible to apply.
The SLG Student Coordinator will work alongside the Assistant Director for Sustainability Engagement and help oversee all aspects of the Sustainability Leadership Group (SLG) program. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, reliable, assertive, and personable, and see themselves as a mentor to younger students. An open and creative mind is essential and strong organizational skills are a must. Primary responsibilities include:
- Enhancing the SLG program’s prominence on campus
- Selecting the SLG ‘29 team
- Developing semester-long plans that prioritize the core values of leadership, education, and community
- Planning and running SLG ‘29 meetings, projects, and initiatives
- Mentoring and assisting SLG ‘29 members, both in groups and one-on-one settings
- Collaborating with campus partners and student groups to maximize the experience of SLG ‘29 members and the reach of the SLG program
Sustainability Career Network Intern
This position will run for the entirety of the Fall 2025 semester with the opportunity to extend through Spring 2026. There is also the potential for optional work in Summer 2025 for those in North Carolina.
One of the Office of Sustainability’s priorities is to provide support to both current students and alumni as they pursue careers in sustainability. The Sustainability Career Network Intern will aid with a variety of initiatives, including but not limited to:
- Managing a database of Wake Forest alumni with a connection to sustainability
- Providing administrative support for the Sustainability Alumni Career Network and creating a system to maintain regular communication with career network participants
- Collaborating with the Office of Personal & Career Development (OPCD) on offerings, student resources, and communications
- Providing support for new career development opportunities, such as virtual alumni networking sessions
Requirements include exceptional organization and communication skills and strong attention to detail. Preferred skills include proficiency with technology and experience using LinkedIn.
Sustainability Staff Writer
This position will run for the entirety of the Fall 2025 semester, with the opportunity to extend through Spring 2026.
Do you have a knack for crafting compelling narratives about the environment and sustainability? Put your writing skills to use as a sustainability staff writer. The staff writer will work closely with the Office of Sustainability intern team, with guidance from office staff, to identify, report, and write articles about campus sustainability. The successful candidate will have an appetite for storytelling and some background in journalism and/or writing for a publication. Preference for candidates who have successfully completed or are currently enrolled in JOU270 or an equivalent course, have a proven ability to meet deadlines, and possess strong writing skills. Please submit one journalistic writing sample with your application materials. Your sample can be unpublished (e.g. story written for a class) or published (e.g. in the Old Gold & Black).
Propose Your Own Internship
Do you have a great idea for a sustainability-focused internship that’s not listed above? Submit a unique internship proposal. We are always open to new, innovative ways for students to generate sustainability-focused solutions on campus. Please submit a detailed proposal in addition to your cover letter. Note that while you must demonstrate an understanding of the issue as it relates to Wake Forest, you do not need to identify specific solutions at this point. Your proposal must include, at minimum:
- An internship title
- The issue or topic you plan to address
- A clear articulation of the need for the proposed project
- The landscape of issues surrounding the project
- The expected duration of the internship (e.g. one semester, one year, etc.)
SUMMER POSITION: Waste Reduction & Diversion Internship
This position is open to all current students who plan to spend at least part of the summer in Winston-Salem. Start and end dates are flexible based on availability.
The Waste Reduction & Diversion Intern’s primary focus will be developing a campaign to reduce paper towel usage on campus. This behavior change campaign will be grounded in community-based social marketing (CBSM) and be ready to implement by the start of the Fall 2025 semester. Additional responsibilities may include one or more of the following, depending on needs:
- Developing recycling education materials
- Assisting with the preparation of recycling totes for new students
- Assisting with the preparation of waste diversion initiatives for athletics events
The ideal candidate will be organized and self-driven and have previous experience with CBSM and/or other frameworks for campaign development. In your cover letter, please discuss your summer availability, including the time frame you plan to be in Winston-Salem and an estimate of the number of hours per week you would be available.
Important Information
Time Commitment: Interns should expect to work approximately 5-6 hours per week on average, though some weeks may be slightly heavier and others lighter. See position descriptions for any internships that may require a different time commitment. Interns will also participate in a required orientation program August 19-22 (tentative dates subject to change).
Eligibility: Unless otherwise indicated, all current Wake Forest students are eligible to apply, including those who qualify for federal work study. Positions may not be completed while studying away from campus.
Compensation: All positions pay $11/hour as a base rate. After every two semesters (consecutive or not) as an Office of Sustainability intern, students are eligible for a $1/hour increase. Eligibility is dependent upon performance. Through the Office of Sustainability internship program, all students also gain professional development experience through curated programming and one-on-one mentorship.
Academic Credit: Internships may be pursued for academic credit in lieu of or in addition to monetary compensation. Arrangements must be made in advance between the student and the relevant academic department or program in accordance with their policies. As an administrative office, the Office of Sustainability is unable to grant permission for academic credit directly.
How to Apply: To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, any required supplemental materials, and the names and contact information for two professional references via this form. You may apply for multiple positions, but you must submit a separate application form for each. Applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Please direct any questions to cohenbj@wfu.edu.
The Office of Sustainability encourages qualified candidates across all group demographics to apply. In your cover letter, please include the following:
- the position for which you are applying;
- relevant work and/or volunteer experience;
- relevant coursework;
- a brief description of why you want to pursue the position;
- skills you would bring to the internship; and
- what you hope to gain from the experience.
