The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia is offering three graduate internships for summer 2009. One internship is funded a Intern in Community Service grant from the Samuel S. Fels Fund; the two other internships are funded by a grant from the William Penn Foundation to support the work of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The 2009 Samuel S. Fels Intern in Community Service will work at the Preservation Alliance on the Alliances African American Outreach program, initiated in 2008. Responsibilities will include: 1) updating and organizing an existing inventory of approximately 300 African American historic sites in Philadelphia to serve as the primary content for a section of the Preservation Alliances website; 2) writing a brief historic context statement for the inventory; and 3) developing ideas for special educational events (tours, lectures, etc.) aimed at expanding public awareness of African American historic sites in Philadelphia. Two interns will be hired by the Alliance to work with and at the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The interns will work directly with and be under the supervision of the staff of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. During the summer of 2009 the Commission staff will be working on the review of three new historic districts. Interns will assist the staff in preparing materials on the districts for review by the Designation Committee and the Commission, and will assist with the organization of public presentations. In addition, interns may help check data for historic districts in the field or prepare nominations for individual buildings to the Philadelphia Register.

Applicants should be comfortable and effective working in a team setting, with diverse people. He or she will have an undergraduate degree and be pursuing an advance degree in historic preservation, history, and/or neighborhood/community planning. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required along with strong organizational skills, computer competency in Word, Excel and in the use of Internet for communications and research. Some travel within the city of Philadelphia may be necessary.