Project Details
Hiring Manager: Dr. Larissa Goulart da Silva, Assistant Professor, Linguistics, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Total Hours: 120
Project Stipend: $3000
Project Goals and Objectives
The proposed micro-internship will support the Department of Linguistics at Montclair University in its ongoing efforts to highlight career pathways in the field and strengthen alumni engagement. In the development of promotional materials and webpages, the intern will gain valuable professional experience in writing public-facing content about their discipline, communicating with stakeholders (i.e., current students, faculty, and alumni who are professionals in the field), and organizing archival materials, key skills for roles in content development, research, marketing, and academic administration. The intern-created products will not only support the department, but will be valuable for Admissions, Career Services, and Alumni Engagement initiatives, ensuring a wider reach and long-term utility.
- Developing Department Webpages
- Design and create an alumni showcase webpage within the department’s website that will highlight the diversity of career opportunities available for linguistics BA and MA/MS students. Throughout this process, the intern will participate in outreach opportunities through our LinkedIn alumni community, collect relevant information, and prepare written vignettes to post on the website.
- Curate an official department webpage that catalogs the history of the program, documents key changes in the curriculum, and acknowledges contributions from retired faculty members.
- To enhance the department’s historical record and build a stronger sense of community, the intern will conduct interviews with recently retired faculty members who remain engaged with the department, as well as current faculty in the department. These interviews will document their contributions, experiences, and perspectives on the development of the program over time.
- Updating Promotional Materials for the Department’s Programs
In Spring 2024, the department hosted an alumni event which provided an opportunity for current students to network with professionals in the field of linguistics, explore potential career paths, and gain insights into internships and job market preparation. To build on these efforts, we aim to develop an online repository that documents the department’s history, showcases past research, and highlights alumni achievements. The intern will contribute to these goals through two key tasks:
Based on the outreach and interviews conducted in the information gathering stage, the intern will prepare a new set of promotional flyers used to advertise our three programs: BA in Linguistics, MA in Applied Linguistics, and MS in Computational Linguistics. These outreach materials are crucial for distributing to prospective students at university events, admissions fairs, and online platforms. Specific tasks include revising career section(s) to better reflect the diverse professional paths available to graduates, incorporating insights from alumni and industry trends, as well as update course and program information to align with recent curriculum changes in the MA and MS programs, ensuring that prospective students have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Methods to Achieve Goals and Objectives
To achieve the project’s objectives, the intern will use a combination of qualitative research, digital content creation, and document design. The intern will conduct historical research by reviewing departmental archives, past curriculum records, and available documentation on program changes. Structured interviews will also be conducted with current students, alumni, and faculty members to ensure comprehensive and engaging narrative themes have been identified for flyers and website content. The intern will review recent course catalogs, consult with faculty about curricular revisions, and gather alumni insights to ensure the flyers effectively represent the department’s offerings. The intern will utilize design software or university-approved templates to format the materials professionally.
Skill Set Developed
By completing these tasks, the intern will gain practical experience in content development, digital archiving, and professional communication—key skills for careers in applied and computational linguistics, as well as in academia and related fields. In addition, the intern will develop a professional network through interactions with young professionals in a wide range of positions in industry and academia. This project will also contribute to the department’s strategic goal of fostering stronger connections among faculty, students, and alumni.
Required Training
No formal training is anticipated for this internship, as the intern is expected to have the necessary research and communication skills to complete the assigned tasks. A one-hour orientation at the start of the internship will cover university website policies, content management, accessibility compliance, interview best practices, and data privacy. The intern will work closely with their supervisor throughout the process, with regular check-ins providing guidance and feedback to ensure all content is accurate, well-structured, and aligned with the department’s branding and outreach efforts.
Key Deliverables
- Department Webpages: At least 2 newly developed webpages for the Montclair Linguistics Department website that documents career opportunities, highlighting key alumni, as well as the history of the program, including key milestones and past research contributions. The page will also feature insights from interviews with retired faculty members to preserve their contributions and perspectives on the department’s evolution.
- Interview Transcripts and Summaries: A collection of at least 6 structured interview transcripts and summarized key insights from retired faculty members, providing a historical record that can be used for future departmental projects, alumni engagement, and potential academic documentation.
- Updated Program Flyers: At least 3 professionally revised promotional materials for the BA in Linguistics, MA in Applied Linguistics, and MS in Computational Linguistics programs.