Corporate & Community Engagement Intern at Hudson River Park Friends (Wilson Ctr. Funded)

Organization Name: Hudson River Park Friends

Internship Role/Title: Corporate & Community Engagement Intern

Organization Website: https://hudsonriverpark.org/about-us/hudson-river-park-friends/

Address: 353 West Street, Pier 40, New York, NY 10014

Duration of Internship: 280 hour commitment (Full-time, 35 hrs/week for 8 weeks)

Eligibility: This Wilson Center funded opportunity is open to all registered Pace students (undergraduate, graduate and international students) that are graduating in Dec. 2026 OR later.

Modality: Hybrid

About the Organization: (Please limit your response to 200 words or less) 

Hudson River Park Friends (“Friends”) is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the completion, care and enhancement of the Park and is the designated fundraising, advocacy and support organization of Hudson River Park Trust (“Trust”). 
Friends creates opportunities for public contributions to and participation in the Park's operations and growth, to guarantee its future for generations of New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. The Trust is a public benefit corporation of New York State and is responsible for the continued operations, maintenance and completion of the Park. 
Hudson River Park (“Park”) is a 550-acre Park located along four miles of the Manhattan waterfront, which includes landscaped public piers, display gardens, heavily used lawns, ecological planting zones, athletic fields, esplanades, docks, public sculptures and other special features.
A Seasonal Intern will be hired to help execute existing program objectives and support efforts to increase corporate financial support and volunteer event coordination and production.

Position Overview: (Provide an overview of the role and its purpose in 4–6 sentences) 

This summer, the Corporate and Community Engagement Intern will join the Hudson River Park Friends team, where they’ll play a vital role in supporting the growth and impact of our fundraising, volunteer and community outreach efforts. Working closely with the Senior Manager, Supervisor and Associate of Corporate and Community Engagement, the Intern will assist in the coordination and execution of programs that help financially sustain and enhance Hudson River Park. This position provides valuable hands-on experience in event management, public speaking and communications, and offers exposure to nonprofit fundraising and development in the field of urban greenspace preservation in NYC. 

In this position, the Intern will have the opportunity to engage with community partners, support volunteer programs and assist in key fundraising initiatives. Beyond conducting the day-to-day events, the Intern will be exposed to the unique private-public partnership of Hudson River Park Trust and Friends, local ecology and the Park’s ongoing environmental stewardship projects. This position will help to advance the mission of Hudson River Park Friends and ensure that the Park continues to be a vibrant space for all visitors.

Key Responsibilities: (Use bullet points to clearly outline the major tasks and responsibilities 5–7 items preferred). 

• Volunteer Event Support: Alongside the Corporate & Community Engagement team, the Intern will load the Friends vehicle with supplies, help with tent set-up and breakdown, check in volunteers, collect liability waivers, host the volunteer desk and take photos of the volunteers in action. The Intern will connect with volunteers throughout the project and assist with project goals such as weeding and shoreline cleanup. 
   
• Impact Statement and recap: The Intern will be responsible for taking and uploading photos and composing a recap of the day’s project detailing the impact made by volunteers (amount of debris collected, count of plant installations, etc).
   
• Driving within the Park: The Intern will be trained to drive a Motrec, a small utility vehicle, to and from volunteer projects within Hudson River Park.
   
• Event and Sponsorship Fulfillment: Assist with on-site activations, setup and execution of various events as needed. 
   
• Research: Conduct research for potential events and future sponsors.
   
• Sponsorship Calls: Sit in on sponsorship and other fundraising calls with the Corporate & Community Engagement Team. 

Preferred Skills: (please list general hard/soft/technical skills here, a bullet list will suffice)

• Driver's license with clean record required
• Ability to work on your feet, bend, lift and carry event related materials and equipment up to 30 pounds will be necessary
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and interest in public speaking
• Highly organized 
• Enthusiasm for green spaces, nonprofit development, and urban ecology in NYC

The Ideal Candidate is:

The ideal candidate should be self-motivated, highly organized, detail-oriented and able to work with a team to accomplish project goals. The Corporate and Community Engagement Intern should be comfortable and professional when interacting with volunteers, the public and staff.