Internship with The Sikh Foundation
Call for Applications: Humanities EXCEL Fellowship with The Sikh Foundation – 2025-2026
We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This internship is open to UCSC undergraduate students, but priority will be given to declared or proposed Humanities majors or minors. This role requires work authorization.
Application Deadline: July 20, 2025
The Humanities EXCEL Program connects undergraduate Humanities majors and minors with community partners for paid internships. Fellows gain valuable professional experience while exploring potential career paths.
Partner Organization: The Sikh Foundation
The Sikh Foundation's mission to promote the future of Sikhism by inspiring, engaging, and educating a broad audience—with a focus on youth—aligns with UC Santa Cruz’s aim to elevate the understanding and awareness of Sikh history, language, art, culture, and religion among the campus community and beyond.
UCSC student scholars shall be focused on Sikh history, art, language, and/or culture, tied to furthering research on the Sikh Foundation’s Kapany Art Collection, to benefit the broader Sikh community in California. The Sikh Foundation welcomes passionate individuals who are committed to preserving and promoting Sikh heritage and culture.
Location: Hybrid - this internship is mostly remote, with travel to Palo Alto once a week starting in October 2025. Day and time for in-person shifts can be flexible.
- UCSC Humanities funds a Zipcar account to cover car transportation for students age 21+. Time spent traveling to Palo Alto will be compensated.
Duration: Summer 2025 and academic year 2025–26
Hours: 10–20 hours/week working with your class schedule.
Pay: $20/hour
Mentorship: Regular check-ins and support from the Program Director
What You’ll Do
You will support initiatives and programming involving research, communications, archival materials in the Kapany art collection, and educational resources. Interns play a crucial role in advancing the foundation's mission and can gain valuable experience in the process.
- Event Coordination (20%): Assist in the planning and execution of events, exhibitions, and programs related to Sikh culture. This may involve logistics, promotion, and on-site assistance.
- Content Creation (20%): Help create content for the foundation's website, social media platforms, and newsletters. This includes writing articles, blog posts, and generating multimedia content.
- Outreach and Engagement (15%): Assist in building and maintaining relationships with the Sikh community, scholars, artists, and potential collaborators. Support the foundation's efforts in outreach and engagement.
- Archival Work (15%): Contribute to the preservation of Sikh heritage by organizing and digitizing historical materials, artifacts, and documents.
- Education Initiatives (10%): Assist in developing educational materials and resources to promote understanding and awareness of Sikh culture in schools and universities.
- Research Assistance (10%): Conduct research on Sikh culture, history, art, and heritage to support the foundation's projects and initiatives. Assist in collecting and organizing relevant information.
- Administrative Support (10%): Aid in day-to-day administrative tasks, including data entry, document filing, and email correspondence. Assist in maintaining records and databases.
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Humanities EXCEL Programming: Attend two cohort meetings each quarter when possible and participate in asynchronous Canvas experiential learning reflection.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Priority will be given to declared or proposed majors or minors in a Humanities Division department who have good academic standing.
- Humanities majors: Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism, Classical Studies, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Feminist Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- Humanities minors: Black Studies, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, History of Consciousness, History, Italian Studies, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- You have work authorization (required)
- You are detail-oriented, organized, and enjoy working with complex information. (required)
- You manage your time well, meet deadlines, and work independently with minimal oversight. (required)
- You work well both independently and as part of a team, managing your time to stay on track. (required)
- You have a genuine interest in Sikh culture, history, and heritage. (required)
- You have strong research, writing, and communication skills (required)
- You are proficient in digital applications, including Microsoft Office, Canva, and Google research tools. (required)
- You are a proactive and responsive communicator. You have a consistent habit of checking email and responding promptly and professionally. (required)
- You are adaptable and have a willingness to learn.
- You are interested in history, cultural studies, the arts, or nonprofit management.
In this role, you will gain…
- Insight into non-profit management and mission-driven work in the public humanities.
- Possible opportunities for professional development and networking within the Sikh cultural and heritage community.
- Time management and project management skills in a mostly remote, flexible work environment.
- Transferable skills and relevant experience in a wide range of professional roles in many career fields and industries.
How To Apply
- Updated resume
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1-page cover letter addressing:
- Why you’re interested in this role and The Sikh Foundation (explore their website!)
- How your background and skills apply
- What you hope to gain from the experience
- Address your letter to Tanmeet Gujral
Review these resume and cover letter resources to ensure you are a strong candidate! For application help, see Humanities Career Engagement.
Questions? Email Assistant Director of Experiential Learning Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct: