Looking for opportunities? Visit NoleNetwork to identify part-time, full-time and internship opportunities.
To see reports of internship experiences from our students, visit our internship experiences page at Internship Experiences.
Ishmael Fernandez interning at Master Craftsman Studios
Students must be current Studio Art majors (either BA or BFA program) in good academic standing and have a minimum “B” average in Studio Art courses. Students must have completed all Foundations coursework (ART1000, ART1201C, ART1203, ART1300C, ART1602C, ART2204C) and be admitted to Upper Division status (52 earned credit hours) before beginning an internship.
Internship with Sculpture Professor, Kevin Curry
Undergraduate students Danae Trescastro and Morgan Nystrom intern with Professor Kevin Curry
“My internship with Professor Kevin Curry at the Facility for Arts Research has been a great experience as a sculptor interested in large-scale work and gaining new skills and perspectives on achieving this work in practice.”
~Morgan Nystrom, BFA ’23
“An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.”
– National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
Internships are one-time hands-on work or service experiences:
An internship is designed to provide the student with experience in a career setting; some are paid, and some are voluntary, unpaid activities.
The internship is a reciprocal arrangement: Students exchange their work in return for on-the-job training and work experience. Therefore, the on-the-job supervisor should make available a professional learning art or design experience/opportunity. If a student is already employed in an art or design-related job, the department cannot grant internship credit to continue that same activity. Students cannot duplicate the same internship for credit in the future.
Examples of art internship experiences:
Wilderness Graphics, Inc. Internship
Graphics created by, Gillian Lacy, for Wilderness Graphics, Inc.
“My internship with Wilderness Graphics, Inc. provided me with exceptional experience in how the graphic design field works. I gained experience with the Adobe Creative Suite in a manageable and straightforward way. I could not be more grateful to the graphic designer I shadowed for their guidance throughout the entire process.”
~Gillian Lacy, BA ’22
For situations where academic credit is not applicable, students can also apply to earn recognition for their résumé through the Career Center’s Experience Recognition Program (ERP).
621 Gallery Internship
“Before 621 Gallery, I had never had an internship before and I was not exactly sure what it would consist of. However, once I started the job I quickly found out. My responsibilities ranged from painting gallery walls and filling in holes to labeling and taking note of the works received from artists. Every single day I spent at the gallery was different. One day I could be in the back storage organizing materials and then the next I could be staff at an opening answering questions and talking to guests. This meant that there were times when I would be covered in paint and times when I wore a tie but I enjoyed it all and it brought many opportunities for growth. I gained a lot of knowledge from this experience and I owe a great deal of it to Lauren Baker’s guidance; Lauren is the executive director of 621 Gallery. I learned about the process and work that goes into organizing an art opening. It takes a lot to do a new show every month, and it’s all about constant turnover. One minute your painting a beautiful orange wall in the gallery and then the next your covering it up with white paint to showcase something else. I learned how to label artworks and number things accordingly for art auctions, how to change the positioning of lights to make certain work stand out, and I even learned about posting information on social media to promote the gallery.”
~Lauryn Feliciano, BA 21′
It is strongly advised that students meet with their academic advisor to understand how receiving internship credit will affect course and graduation requirements. Internship credit does not take the place of studio lab courses, and only three (3) internship credits can be applied toward Studio Art major requirements. Students who work beyond the minimum hours stated above may be eligible to take additional internship credits, but these will only count toward elective credit and not for Studio Art major requirements.
The FSU Career Center is a wonderful resource for help in finding internships, preparing submissions, and conducting mock interviews to prepare for the interview process.
Once students have accepted an internship offer, please see that the following documents are filled out and submitted:
Deadline for Summer 2023 Semester: Friday, May 12
Deadline for Fall 2023 Semester: Friday, August 11
The deadline to submit forms is the last day of regular registration prior to the internship semester. Forms received after this date may not be processed until Drop/Add, and late registration fees may be assessed. No internship applications will be approved after drop/add. Keep in mind that internships go through a vetting process and it is not guaranteed that an internship will be approved, so it is in the student’s best interest to communicate their intentions with the department, their advisor, and the career liaison and submit their application by the deadline.
Students will be notified once the internship is approved and students are registered for internship credit hours. At the beginning of the internship semester, an email will be sent to students with class information and the syllabus.
In order to successfully complete the internship and receive a passing grade, students need to:
Gadsden Center for the Arts Internship
Jessica Ens working with Students at Gadsden Center for the Arts
“I cannot say enough good things about my experience at Gadsden. I had many opportunities to create and teach lesson plans, learn about non-profit organizations, engage in community outreach, write grants, and design marketing and print materials for the center. I am sad to see the semester wrap up because I had so much fun and learned a great deal.”
~Jessica Ens, BA ’20
Internship with Mastercraftsman Studios
Eli Goldstone in the Master Craftsman Studio and one of the on campus projects created in Master Craftsman Studio
“All the projects at Master Craftsman Studio have exposed me to different materials, tools, and processes. This internship experience has also shown me what it is like to take on high-budget projects, plan them, and see them through to completion — an invaluable experience for any aspiring artist.”
~Ishmael Fernandez, BA ’21
“This past Fall 2020 semester, I was able to return for a second internship position at Master Craftsman Studio (MCS), which specializes in the fabrication and installation of many of the artworks around FSU’s campus. The opportunity to work alongside professional studio artists would only serve to improve my ability as a sculptor and fabricator. Unfortunately my internship was cut short last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this semester, the staff at MCS have put together a way for interns to still work and help out.”
~Eli Goldstone, BFA ’20
If students or employers have questions, please contact Liz Di Donna (edidonna@fsu.edu).