7 Event Planning Internships for High School Students
If you're passionate about event planning and management, these internships provide a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and build essential skills! Event planning internships typically focus on areas such as logistics, coordination, marketing, and client relations. By participating in an event planning internship, you will have the chance to dive into the industry, guided by professionals who bring real-world insights and expertise.
Participating in an event planning internship can also significantly enhance your college applications. Your involvement in an internship shows your commitment to exploring event planning beyond the classroom and your willingness to take on challenges in a professional setting. This experience not only bolsters your resume but also enriches your personal statements and interviews, giving you compelling stories and insights to share.
Here’s our list of 7 popular event planning internships tailored for high school students.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490. Financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. November 24, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program Dates: Winter Cohort starting on December 16, 2024
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships provides students with the opportunity to work closely with event planning professionals on real projects. If you’re interested in event planning, you can opt for their business and non-profit tracks. You will have the chance to take on tasks such as coordinating logistics, managing schedules, and working on marketing and outreach strategies.
Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, you will work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present your work to the company.
Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply here.
Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Cost: None; paid at New York State minimum wage
Application Deadline: March 8, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 22 – August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school students (10th or 11th graders) residing in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The MET Museum in New York offers paid summer internships for high school students, connecting them with art, museums, and creative professionals. Interns are paired with mentors, either individually or in small groups, based on their interests, such as social media and marketing. Throughout the program, you will work closely with experts to design social media campaigns, develop branding for artists and the museum, create content across various platforms, and learn about SEO and user experience research. You will work with your fellow interns to plan a final event and celebration, where you’ll share the skills and knowledge you’ve gained in the program. By the end of the program, you will gain a strong foundation in social media skills and a deeper understanding of its real-world applications.
Location: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Cost: Unspecified; paid internships
Program Duration: Varies according to internship
Eligibility: Rising public high school seniors
The Bloomberg Arts Internship program provides high school students with valuable work experience at select cultural institutions, along with work readiness and college preparation training. You will receive a paid summer internship that includes supplementary activities designed to develop workforce readiness skills and prepare you for college applications and attendance. Internship sites can include places like museums, performing arts organizations, historical sites, and music venues. Previous internships, such as the one at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia, have involved event planning.
Location: Knoxville, TN
Cost: Interns are paid $15/hour
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 3 – July 26, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school students and anyone between 16 and 22 years of age
Community Safety and Empowerment—African American Equity Restoration Taskforce: In 2024, the African American Equity Restoration Task Force hired an intern to support their efforts in research, data analysis, and event planning. Although 2025 internships for the City of Knoxville haven’t been released yet, event planning is likely to be one of the many options again. For the task force, the intern played a key part in organizing community events that promote awareness and engagement around equity initiatives.
Future intern responsibilities may include coordinating logistics for meetings and events, such as booking venues, managing schedules, arranging catering, and ensuring that all materials and resources are prepared and available. This role provides a hands-on opportunity to learn the intricacies of event planning within the context of social justice and community empowerment, making it ideal for someone who is passionate about equity and wants to make a tangible impact. Candidates from East Knoxville are especially encouraged to apply.
Location: Art Institue of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Paid internship, amount unspecified
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: June – August
Eligibility: Chicago high school students who will be at least 16 years old at the start of the internship
The Art Institute of Chicago’s summer internship provides teens with the opportunity to support events, gallery tours, and workshops at the Art Institute of Chicago while working alongside museum professionals. You will engage with museum professionals, meet local artists, plan and host creative programs, and develop valuable interpersonal and leadership skills. Applications are accepted through After School Matters.
Location: Milwaukee Public Library, Mitchell Street Branch, Good Hope Branch, or Washington Park Branch. In the event that a Teen Outreach Intern is asked to report to another location in Milwaukee, a bus pass will be provided
Cost: The starting salary is $15.92/hour, with a resident incentive salary of $16.40/hour for City of Milwaukee residents
Application Deadline: Year-round
Program Dates: Year-round
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-18
The Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) offers an internship opportunity for high school juniors and seniors. As an intern, you'll be involved in developing and implementing new programs, consulting on space design, mentoring peers, and hosting engaging events. You'll have the chance to lead specialty projects, facilitate daily operations in MPL Makerspaces, promote library events through social media, and collaborate with MPL staff and community members.
Location: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta headquarters in Atlanta, GA
Cost: No information available
Application Deadline: Not specified
Program Dates: Not specified
Eligibility: No requirements except meeting minimum qualifications, such as computer skills and organizational skills
Big Brothers Big Sisters offers an event planning internship where students can help organize community events, fundraisers, and mentoring activities. This internship at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA) offers a chance for interns to gain practical experience in nonprofit communications, fundraising, and event management. You will support the planning and coordination of major events, manage auction items and sponsorships, and assist with creating marketing materials and communications. You will work with Big Brothers Big Sisters staff and volunteers, gaining insights into the nonprofit sector and the impact of mentorship programs. This internship is ideal for students interested in event planning, community service, and youth empowerment.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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