Group image of our 2023-2024 professional interns.

PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIPS

Join one of the fastest growing, future-thinking, creatively inclined professional teams in the country. We are committed to offering you the opportunity to exchange ideas, share experiences, and achieve personal fulfillment, all while bolstering your professional portfolio.

Our interns are fully integrated into our full-time staff. While responsibilities vary by position and year, all individuals are valued, treated as professional staff, and will develop an in-depth perspective of our organization and operations.

Help us leave a legacy not only here in Madison, but in the field of campus recreation and wellbeing.

We’re building a movement, and we want you to join us.

APPLY TODAY

Explore our current openings on the UW Jobs Board. Apply to join our team and our movement.

VIEW PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP OFFERINGS

Summer Internships

Applications are open!

Candidates must apply to each position they are interested in and are welcome to apply to multiple positions. Application links for each position are listed in the descriptions below.

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Internship Details

  • Internships are limited-time employments lasting 400 total hours
  • Internship dates are approximate and will run June to August
  • Interns will be compensated at a rate of $22.00/hour for an average of 40 hours/week
  • Intern will receive up to ten days of unpaid vacation
  • Position requires a criminal background check
  • Housing, benefits, and health insurance not included

Available Positions

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Member Services

The Member Services Summer Intern will be responsible for assisting the Member Services department with day-to-day operations of the Rec Well facilities, having active involvement in enhancing the member experience, recruitment and retention initiatives, rental equipment and merchandise management, campus recreation software, scheduling, budgeting, and data analysis.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Assist in the management of all aspects of Member Services, including staffing, sales/refunds locker rentals, tours, and membership sales, as well as customer inquiries and concerns.
  • Assist with the overall management of comprehensive campus recreation software, Fusion.
  • Participate in member recruitment fairs, presentations, and initiatives.
  • Assist with establishing and implementing short- and long-term goals, strategic initiatives, policies, operating procedures, and assessments related to member services.
  • Assist in planning and support of divisional events, including new student orientation (SOAR).

Apply Now

Operations (2)

This Operations Summer Interns will gain valuable recreation and leadership experience by having active involvement in student staff development, member experience, operational and facility management, campus recreation software, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Provide leadership and manage the day-to-day operations of Rec Well facilities including the Nicholas Recreation Center and Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center.
  • Directly assist in the recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, payroll, and evaluation of approximately 100 student employees with a focus on student training, development, and learning alongside the other Professional Intern.
  • Create, implement, and facilitate student employee trainings that may occur outside business hours or on weekends.
  • Work with Facility Services team for the upkeep, cleanliness, and maintenance of all activity spaces and equipment, including routine facility audits.
  • Create and maintain student staff job duties through Connect2Concepts, facility management software.
  • Implement and provide feedback on Rec Well policies and guidelines.
  • Follow up on incidents and accidents that occur in all facilities.
  • Collaborate to ensure consistency of processes and policies across all facilities and develop, review, and evaluate student employee resources.
  • Aid in the creation and tracking of the annual budget, specifically related to recreation and first aid supplies as well as student wages.
  • Assist in maintaining building security and safety through electronic access controls, key management, building surveillance, and two-way radio system.

Apply Now

Summer Camp

The Summer Camp Summer Intern will assist in projects to support Recreation & Wellbeing (Rec Well) Club & Community Programs Department, focused on the Summer Camp program. Specific projects will be determined in conjunction with the successful candidate but may include serving developing summer camp programming, supervising camp staff, camp coverage, and/or student staff training and development.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Coordinate communication efforts through weekly newsletters, signage, updates, etc.
  • Provides high quality customer service for summer camp participants.
  • May assist in program planning and field trip logistics.
  • Support daily camp operations in a camp coverage role.
  • May facilitate weekly staff in-services for Rec Well Summer Camp staff.
  • May assist in risk management for Rec Well Summer Camp to include skill audits, risk assessment, and policy compliance.
  • Maintain program and facility schedules for internal and external stakeholders.

Apply Now

Academic Year Internships

Applications are now open!

Candidates must apply to each position they are interested in and are welcome to apply to multiple positions. Application links for each position are listed in the descriptions below.

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Perks & Details

Cool stuff you get:

  • Access to Rec Well facilities, programs, and services
  • $1500 of professional development support
  • Registration costs are covered for the following:
    • WIRSA State Conference
    • NIRSA Region III Student Lead On Conference

Internship details:

  • Academic year internships are limited-time employments lasting 9 months or 1,040 total hours
  • Internship dates are approximate and will run mid-August to May
  • Interns will be compensated at a rate of $22/hour for an average of 30 hours/week
  • Interns will be allotted approximately four weeks unpaid leave
        1. Recommended break times
          1. Thanksgiving Break (1 week)
          2. Winter Break (2 weeks)
          3. Spring Break (1 week)
  • Position requires a criminal background check
  • Housing, transportation, and other benefits are not included

Available Positions

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Aquatics

The Aquatics Professional Intern will be responsible for the hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluation of aquatic student-staff and promoting participant safety and satisfaction.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Develop and implement lifeguard in-service and training sessions and assist with maintaining lifeguard certifications.
  • Assist with hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating aquatic student-staff.
  • Lead lifeguarding in-services and trainings using American Red Cross skills and evaluate lifeguarding staff to standards of their certifications.
  • Perform regular facility and equipment inspections.
  • Enforce Rec Well policies and procedures to promote participant safety and satisfaction.
  • Assist in the scheduling of all aquatic facilities, including internal programming and rentals
  • Support aquatic rentals and Rec Well events with planning, setup, and tear down.

Apply Now

Club & Community Programs

The Club & Community Programs Professional Intern will assist in leading a sport club program with 50+ unique clubs and community programs including swim lessons, ice skating lesson, American Red Cross classes, and youth programs.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Assist with the supervision, management, and mentorship of 10 student lead supervisors.
  • Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate 50+ student supervisors and 30+ instructors.
  • Assist with the overall management of comprehensive campus recreation softwares; InnoSoft Fusion, DoSports Easy.
  • Serve as a liaison to select sport clubs, including all aspects of club oversight such as risk management, inventory, waiver collection, website update, monthly officer meetings, and priority points tracking system.
  • Maintain daily office hours to assist with administrative duties including answering phone calls and e-mail correspondence, stocking first aid kits with proper supplies, record retention and filing, and customer service.
  • Manage program registration for non-credit educational programs including adult and youth lessons, American Red Cross programs, and Rec Well summer camp and sport clubs.
  • Maintain a presence at Club & Community Program events competitions.
  • Create and enforce policies to mitigate risk in Club & Community Program offerings.

Apply Now

Fitness

The Fitness Professional Intern will grow in training and student development, administrative experience, and supporting fitness participants wellbeing through movement. The intern will gain valuable experience in all areas of the fitness department but will primarily focus their efforts supporting the Personal Training and Strength and Conditioning Programs.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Assist with recruitment, training, and mentorship of personal training staff.
  • Help plan and deliver training during in-services and mentorship workshops.
  • Assist in the management of trainer-client matching process.
  • Work with sport club coaches and athletes to program individual and team-based workouts.
  • Oversee personal training software (Trainerize) and the Personalized Fitness Program.

Apply Now

Intramural Sports

The Intramural Sports Professional Intern will gain valuable campus recreation and leadership experience by having active involvement in the overall program development, programming, and evaluation of personnel. The intern will be a leader in Intramural Sports, marketing, financial management, facility operations, and personnel management.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Assist with the supervision, management, and mentorship of 40 student supervisors.
  • Manage and execute programming responsibilities for select Intramural Sports leagues and special events, including revision of rules, marketing, registration, communications, reschedules and playoff format, inventory control, assessment & evaluation.
  • Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate Sports supervisors and Intramural Sports officials and scorekeepers.
  • Maintain daily office hours to assist with administrative duties including answering phone calls and e-mail correspondence, stocking first aid kits with proper supplies, record retention and filing, and customer service.
  • Maintain a presence at Intramural Sports events.

Apply Now

Member Services (2)

The Member Services Professional Interns will help to oversee the day-to-day member services operations of either the Nicholas Recreation Center or Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center. These professional interns will assist in the hiring, training, and development of approximately 70 student employees per facility. They will also actively manage the comprehensive campus recreation software, Fusion.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Assist in the management of all aspects of Member Services, including staffing/payroll, locker rentals, tours, and membership sales.
  • Oversight of Member Service forms and recurring membership cancellations, which includes all member inquiries and concerns.
  • Assist with the overall management of comprehensive campus recreation software, Fusion.
  • Participate in member recruitment fairs, presentations, and initiatives.
  • Assist with establishing and implementing short- and long-term goals, strategic initiatives, policies, operating procedures, and assessments related to member services.
  • Assist in planning and support of Divisional and/or committee events such as Wisconsin Welcome Week activities, student employment events, and NIRSA events which may include some evening and weekend hours.

Apply Now

Nutrition Education

This Nutrition Education Professional Intern will assist with operational and administrative needs of the Nutrition Education department, including a variety of cooking classes for UW-Madison students, Wolf Teaching Kitchen room rentals, and internal and external collaboration efforts.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Complete administrative tasks for Wolf Teaching Kitchen rental requests. This includes tracking information, communicating with internal staff and external groups, and following room rental timeline and room use policies.
  • Support Nutrition Education food programs through program planning, inventory management, using internal communication platforms, outreach events, and executing weekly and daily administrative and hands-on processes.
  • Assist in leading and managing up to 10 Nutrition Education student staff through training, providing individualized support, creating work schedules, delegating tasks, providing feedback, and leading student meetings.
  • Contribute to making data informed decisions of Nutrition Education programs through internal and external surveys and program analysis.
  • Maintain a presence at Nutrition Education programs, as needed.
  • Perform regular inspections of kitchen equipment and risk management supplies.
  • Participate in divisional and university collaborations as a representative of the Nutrition Education department.

Apply Now

Operations (2)

The Operations Professional Interns will gain valuable recreation and leadership experience by having active involvement in student staff development, member experience, operational and facility management, campus recreation software, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Provide leadership and manage the day-to-day operations of Rec Well facilities including the Nicholas Recreation Center and Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center.
  • Directly assist in the recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, payroll, and evaluation of approximately 180 student employees with a focus on student training, development, and learning alongside the other Professional Intern.
  • Create, implement, and facilitate student employee trainings that may occur outside business hours or on weekends.
  • Work with Facility Services team for the upkeep, cleanliness, and maintenance of all activity spaces and equipment, including routine facility audits.
  • Create and maintain student staff job duties through Connect2Concepts, facility management software.
  • Implement and provide feedback on Rec Well policies and guidelines.
  • Follow up on incidents and accidents that occur in all facilities.
  • Collaborate to ensure consistency of processes and policies across all facilities and develop, review, and evaluate student employee resources.
  • Aid in the creation and tracking of the annual budget, specifically related to recreation and first aid supplies as well as student wages.
  • Assist in maintaining building security and safety through electronic access controls, key management, building surveillance, and two-way radio system.
  • Represent Rec Well at institutional workshops, informational meetings, training sessions, committees, and conferences.

Apply Now

Wellbeing

This Wellbeing Professional Intern will assist in the multi-faceted operational and administrative needs of the Wellbeing department which includes programs such as wellness coaching, wellness peer education, massage therapy, and mindfulness.

What you can expect to be doing:

  • Complete administrative and communication tasks for wellbeing programs such as peer education, wellness coaching, massage, and mindfulness classes. This includes emailing, leading student meetings, assessing/organizing requests, & tracking survey data.
  • Assist in hiring, training, and leading wellbeing student staff.
  • Support the development and facilitation of wellbeing workshops to student groups and classes.
  • Participate in leadership opportunities including, but not limited to, hiring staff, developing and leading presentations for campus partners, and professional development events & trainings.

Apply Now

Why Our Internship is Right For You

Our human capital values of communicating effectively, collaborative and innovative idea generation, recognition of achievements, and commitment to cultivating a healthy environment, are what motivate us to provide you an exceptional experience.

During this internship experience, you will be provided the resources, support, and opportunities to:

  • Write your story as a professional for whichever career path is best for you.
  • Weave relationships with forward-thinking and motivated students and professionals.
  • Welcome personal growth and self-exploration for yourself.
  • Widen your abilities as a leader, innovator, and decision-maker.
  • Wow your future employer.

Learn More

For more information about our professional internship program, please contact Alec Triggiano at alec.triggiano@wisc.edu or at (608) 890 – 3906.

(608) 890 – 3906