Recreation Management Intern

The McDowell County Parks & Recreation Internship is designed to provide college students and emerging professionals with meaningful, hands-on experience in municipal recreation programming. Interns will gain practical knowledge in planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating recreation

programs while developing leadership, communication, and organizational skills essential for a career in parks and recreation.

The internship offers exposure to a wide variety of recreation services including youth and adult athletics, community events, senior programming, wellness initiatives, outdoor recreation, and special events. This internship will also include experiences at our Shooting Range and Campground. Please note this is an unpaid internship. Lodging and travel are not covered as part of the internship.

By the completion of the internship, participants will be able to:

• Understand the daily operations of a county parks and recreation department.
• Assist in planning and implementing community recreation programs.
• Develop leadership and customer service skills.
• Learn budgeting, scheduling, and program evaluation techniques.
• Build professional communication skills with staff, volunteers, coaches, and participants.
• Gain experience using recreation management software and registration systems.
• Understand risk management and safety procedures.
• Complete an independent capstone project.

Internship Length

• Semester Internship (12–16 weeks)
• 10–20 hours per week (flexible around class schedules)
• Summer full-time internship available
• Can be tailored to fit college requirements **

Department Rotations

Interns Will Gain Experience In Multiple Program Areas Including Youth and Adult Sports

• League administration
• Practice and game scheduling
• Coach communication
• Registration assistance
• Tournament operations
• Field preparation support

Aquatics (Spring & Summer Only)

• Special pool events
• Daily facility operations
• Program marketing
• Recruitment

Campground/Shooting Range

• Assist with class setup
• Assist with programing and marketing

Special Events

Assist With Events Such As

• Pirate Invasion
• MCYFL Camp
• District and State Tournaments
• Commissioners Cup
• Special Olympics
• Senior Games

Responsibilities May Include

• Setup and teardown
• Volunteer coordination
• Vendor assistance
• Participant registration
• Event logistics

Professional Development

Interns Will Participate In

• Staff meetings
• Program planning sessions
• Budget discussions
• Marketing meetings
• Community partnership meetings
• Facility tours
• Shadowing department leadership

Learning Outcomes

Interns Will Gain Experience In

• Recreation programming
• Event management
• Customer service
• Leadership
• Public speaking
• Volunteer management
• Time management
• Conflict resolution
• Risk management
• Program evaluation
• Community engagement
• Team collaboration

Capstone Project

Each intern will complete one major project during the semester. Examples include:

• Develop and implement a new recreation program.
• Marketing Video
• Create a marketing campaign for an existing program.
• Conduct a community needs assessment.
• Develop a tournament or special event plan.
• Create a program manual or standard operating procedure.
• Evaluate an existing program and provide recommendations for improvement.

The project will conclude with a presentation to Parks & Recreation leadership.

Preferred Applicants Should

• Be enrolled in a college or university.
• Major in Parks and Recreation, Sports Management, Exercise Science, Business, Public

Administration, Education, Communications, or a related field.

• Possess strong communication and organizational skills.
• Be willing to work evenings and weekends as programs require.
• Have a passion for serving the community.

Evaluation

Intern Performance Will Be Evaluated Through

• Weekly supervisor check-ins
• Mid-semester evaluation
• Final performance review
• Capstone project presentation
• Professionalism and attendance
• Initiative and teamwork

Benefits to the Intern

Upon Successful Completion, Interns Will

• Gain real-world municipal recreation experience.
• Build a professional portfolio of completed projects.
• Network with recreation professionals.
• Receive mentorship from experienced staff.
• Develop marketable leadership and management skills.
• Obtain references for future employment or graduate school.

How to Apply

Pre-employment Drug Screening And Background Check Is Required APPLICANTS WILL BE GIVEN CREDIT ONLY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. No additional information will be solicited by the McDowell County; therefore, persons who submit incomplete applications may not receive full credit for their education, training and experience.

McDowell County is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the County to recruit, hire, train and promote individuals without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, political affiliation or national origin. The County will interactively work with disabled applicants and employees to identify reasonable accommodations that will allow the individual to perform essential job functions.

McDowell County participates in E-Verify.

Applications Are Available

• on our website:

www.mcdowellhrportal.org- under “Job Opportunities”

• McDowell County Administration Building:

25 W Fort Street Marion, NC 28752

Applications Can Be Submitted

• Online at www.mcdowellhrportal.org
• in person at the County Administration building:

25 W Fort Street Marion, NC 28752

• or by Mail to:

McDowell County Human Resources

60 East Court Street Marion, NC 28752

• or by email to:

[email protected]

This position is not eligible for benefits.