Are you an undergraduate at the University of Florida looking to inspire people to care for Florida’s environmental resources?
Thanks to funding from UF Gulf Scholars, the University of Florida (UF) Agricultural & Natural Resource Communication Program in Plant City, Florida is offering an Environmental Storytelling internship where students can gain hands-on experience developing multimedia content, including short videos, photo stories, and social media content related to seagrass awareness and protection in Tampa Bay and along the Nature Coast. Two applicants will be selected to participate in this internship program for the Summer B 2025 semester.
This internship is an excellent opportunity for UF undergraduates to gain experience in environmental education and communication on the importance and protection of seagrass ecosystems in Florida.
Benefits of the program
Selected fellows will leave the program with the following:
- Stipend of $750 awarded upon completion of the internship.
- Enhanced understanding of the ecology, uniqueness, and importance of Florida’s seagrass ecosystems and their connection to the Gulf.
- Hands-on experience in science communication and education.
- Skills in videography, photography and basic web or article-style layouts.
- Skills working with a communications team towards a common goal.
- Opportunity for internship credit if desired.
Program components
- Digital content creation: The intern will create multimedia and web content about Florida’s seagrass ecosystems. This includes video, photography, writing and design.
- Organization Collaboration: Interns will collaborate with Florida organizations like Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Florida Sea Grant to develop stories and conservation-based content.
- Mentoring: Interns will be mentored by a professional science communicator from the UF Agricultural and Natural Resource Program based out of Plant City.
Program expectations
The Environmental Storytelling Fellowship kicks off July 1, 2025, and concludes in August 2025. Interns are required to participate in all program activities which include:
- Earning Adobe certifications through online tutorials for Adobe Express, inDesign, Lightroom, and Premiere.
- Develop multimedia materials for outreach and digital distribution through The Streaming Science Project and potentially the partnering organizations.
- Assist with the stewardship program and ‘springs break’ Florida springs campaign.
- Attend weekly progress meeting.
- Create a multimedia package including a short video or video clips and a photo story
- Travel to two locations for two 3-night stays (1 each at St. Petersburg and Cedar Key)
To receive the $750 stipend, selected students will be asked to dedicate approximately 10 hours per week (depending on number of credits wanted for internship, this could increase) to fellowship activities. Some weeks (site trips) will be more time intensive, while others will be less so. Students will be able to complete the required hours around their class schedule.
Minimum qualifications
- Basic understanding of or strong interest in video and photo editing and photo story design
- Strong writing skills, with attention to appropriate spelling, grammar, and mechanics
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Must have a driver’s license and vehicle to get to field sites
- Background or strong interest in science/environmental communication
- Willingness to get out of comfort zone (there is potential to be on boats so while motion sickness isn’t a disqualifier, it should be discussed)
- Must have Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription. UF has arranged for a reduced student Adobe price of $65 for a six-month license and $120 for a 12-month license. You can read more via UF Software Listings and purchase the discounted license rate via UF’s Help Desk Portal Adobe Privacy Policy Adobe Accessibility Information
Preferred qualifications
- Experience using social media, especially Instagram reels and YouTube
- In pursuit of earning a Gulf Scholars Medallion
- Experience creating multimedia
Program eligibility
Sophomore, junior, and senior University of Florida undergraduate students from any major (science, agricultural, pre-law, communications, political science, etc.) with an interest in learning about the Florida seagrass ecosystems and educating the people across the state about them.
Selected interns must be in good academic standing in accordance with the University’s policies and must be enrolled full-time at UF. Interns must also comply with all University regulations, rules, and codes of conduct governing students on campus.
Deadline
Applications will be considered as they are received, however the final deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, 2025.
To apply
Please apply online by visiting the following link: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7NIhRfKOcI9mHTo