PT Community Affairs Intern - Summer 2026

Internship Opportunity

The City of Westerville is situated on the north-east side of Columbus and operates under the Council-Manager form of government. Westerville City Council consists of seven elected members who appoint the City Manager. Westerville, with its more than 40,000 residents, is an award-winning City having been rated twice by Money Magazine as one of America's "Best Places to Live" and the fifth Friendliest City by Forbes Magazine.

City of Westerville Mission Statement

To provide exemplary municipal services to our community and foster prosperity while embracing our unique heritage and character.

This is a part-time opportunity that is not expected to exceed 16 hours per week for two or more months and begins July 2026. The City will work around class schedules but would expect applicants to be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays to gain a more in-depth experience.

NATURE OF WORK:

The primary focus of this year's internship is to assist the Community Affairs Department in developing and implementing two key projects: creating a comprehensive digital archive of Community Affairs files and developing an accessible photo archive for public and internal use. This role will involve significant work in file organization, digitization, metadata creation and ensuring accessibility standards are met.

Essential Functions of Work

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (for purposes of 42 U.S.C. 12101)

1. Digitize, organize and catalog historical Community Affairs files to create a searchable digital archive.
2. Develop and implement a standardized metadata schema for both file and photo archives.
3. Process and organize the Community Affairs photo collection, ensuring all images are properly tagged and accessible.
4. Audit and remediate digital files and photos to ensure compliance with accessibility standards (e.g., adding alt text to images).
5. Provide support to the Community Affairs department.
6. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements of Work

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must be enrolled in a college or university undergraduate program in the field of library science, information science, information management, journalism, public relations, communications, marketing, digital media or a related field of study.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Proven ability in file organization, records management, or library/archival science is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of digital preservation best practices and metadata standards.
• Experience with scanning, digitization, and digital asset management systems.
• Familiarity with web accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG) and tools.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Good time management skills are a must.
• Ability to exercise discretion and good judgment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Ascend/descend stairs and be exposed to outdoor weather conditions
• Remain stationary using a computer at least 60% of the time, in meetings and/or at events
• Carry a laptop to offsite work locations
• Ability to operate standard office equipment i.e. plotter/copier and laminator
• Ability to use and respond to phone calls