McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Philanthropy, Donor Stewardship (Summer 2026)

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Art Institute of Chicago is excited to offer a McMullan Art Leadership Intern position within Philanthropy’s Donor Stewardship team.

As part of the Art Institute’s Philanthropy department, members of the Stewardship team support the museum’s relationships with its most prominent and generous donors. Stewardship staff create bespoke donor communications, serve as intermediaries between the Art Institute’s Finance department and other Philanthropy staff, and ensure regular contact between the museum and its leading supporters.

The intern will provide meaningful support for these efforts by contributing to the Stewardship team’s planning and summer activities, including donor research, the production of materials for endowment fund reports, and the creation of stewardship records for future reference. This role does not involve any direct interaction with donors or museum members.

The intern will join a museum-wide intern cohort and have access to a range of programs to support their development in addition to their placement in Donor Stewardship. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

Goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program

The McMullan Arts Leadership internship program is part of a museum-wide effort to provide students the opportunity to gain experience, career awareness, networks, and skills that will position them to thrive as future art museum leaders.

This program specifically aims to support students who encounter economic challenges when considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help shape a diverse group of leaders whose actions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, varying career paths, and values inspired by their own lived experiences.

INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES:

In this position, the intern will have the opportunity to:

• Gain insight into fundraising efforts at a large-scale cultural institution;
• Learn about the museum’s processes for identifying potential donors;
• Become familiar with essential programs and software for fundraising settings;
• Develop strong communication and organizational skills;
• Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;

• Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

With guidance from the position’s mentors, the intern will focus on three key areas of Donor Stewardship:

• Fund Research: Using Raiser’s Edge to research major museum endowment funds and evaluate their potential for future stewardship reporting
• Record Maintenance: Gaining familiarity with Raiser’s Edge, the museum’s stewardship calendar, and Papersave while creating records of the previous year’s stewardship activities
• Report Production: Researching new additions to the museum’s collection, donor relationships, and past reporting practices to produce materials for fall 2026 stewardship reporting

Additionally, it is expected that the intern will:

• Attend weekly check-ins with the position’s mentors: Donor Stewardship’s assistant director and director
• Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered; candidates with a demonstrated interest in nonprofit work are preferred.
• Due to onsite necessity, applicants must be based in the Chicagoland area and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area over the course of the internship term;
• Must possess strong written and verbal professional and interpersonal communication skills

APPLICATION:

You must upload all of the requested materials below (résumé, essay responses, and writing sample) into only ONE pdf document and list your last name and “Summer 2026” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_SUMMER2026.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application.

PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.

To apply for this internship, tell us your story. We want to understand who you are, what motivates you, how you think, and where you’re coming from. Please submit the following materials:

1. Résumé
2. Instead of a traditional cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per answer.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:
   1. What about this job description interests you the most?
   2. With the mission of the McMullan Arts Leadership intern program in mind, what perspectives might you bring to this role that you think museums need more of?
   3. How do you envision this opportunity helping you towards your professional goals?

DEADLINE:

This application will close on Friday, February 27 at 11:59 pm CDT. Selected applicants will be asked to interview via video call approximately two weeks after deadline passes.

INTERNSHIP INFORMATION:

Duration of Position: 10 weeks / June 2026 (start date anytime during the week of June 1–5) through August 2026 (end date anytime during the week of August 3–7)

Compensation: Paid – $17.50/hr – 28 hrs/week – Temporary

Schedule: This is a part-time, 10-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 28 hours per week, for a total of up to 280 hours over the course of the internship. Work days will occur between Monday–Friday; the start date and schedule will be determined upon agreement with the candidate and the host department.

Hourlong virtual and in-person intern professional development programs will be scheduled throughout the internship term that the student is strongly encouraged to attend. These programs will occur during the week; we ask that the intern make this part of their internship schedule.

Format: The internship will be a hybrid of onsite and remote workdays. Due to onsite necessity, applicants based or attending school in the Chicagoland area during the internship timeframe will be prioritized. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship, but technological accommodations will be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago.

Number of openings: 1