Community Leadership Intern Program (CLIP)

Community Leadership Intern Program 2026

The Community Leadership Intern Program (CLIP) is a paid community-based internship opportunity for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors (SLC students must be registered for Fall 2026), offered by the Office of Community Partnerships and Engagement. This program provides students with an inside look at a non-profit community based organization. The internship sites will be located in the City of Yonkers and communities in Westchester County.

Students selected for CLIP 2026 will be paid at a rate of $16.50/hour (up to approximately 30 hours per week for 10 weeks).

Possible locations for Summer 2026 are: ArtsWestchester, Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB), Groundwork Hudson Valley, Hudson River Museum, Untermeyer Gardens Conservancy, Wartburg Adult Care, Yonkers Arts and Yonkers Public Library.

**Please note that the job descriptions are pending and will vary from organization to organization.

CLIP will run from Monday, June 1st through Friday, August 7th. Participants must participate in all ten weeks of the program.

In addition to work with your agency host site, CLIP interns receive:

A day-long orientation session (held on Monday, June 1st)
Weekly (mandatory and unpaid) Friday leadership seminars, including alumni career panels, workshops, guest speakers, discussions with Yonkers community leaders, discussions about community-based work, site visits and field trips.
Advising and mentorship from SLC staff throughout the program
A closing ceremony on Thursday, August 6th, hosted at Sarah Lawrence College.
An opportunity for on-campus housing is available for this summer program. Additional information regarding potential resources for housing and transportation costs will be discussed throughout the application process.

After review of your application, an interview will be scheduled with the Community Partnerships staff via zoom. During the second round of interviews, candidates will have an opportunity to meet with representatives from the community partner organizations directly and will be held in-person on campus (date to be announced). Throughout this process, Community Partnership staff and site supervisors will continue to share information about what summer work with each site will entail, as summer safety policies and more clarity about site positions are solidified.

If interested please fill out the application via this link: (Applications will be available in late January 2026)

Any questions, comments and/or concerns please contact Partnerships@sarahlawrence.edu.

Photos Submitted by CLIP Participants

Student Testimonial

“For students who know they would like to pursue a career in or tangential to community-based work, taking service learning classes is the first real step to understanding theory but also putting theory to use.”

Rachel Kraun- Class of ’13

Participating Agencies

Potential Summer 2026 Partner Agencies:

Click to view more information.

Arts Westchester {expander}

About ArtsW
Founded in 1965, ArtsWestchester, formerly Westchester Arts Council, is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in NY State. As the county's designated arts agency, ArtsW distributes $1.5 million in grants to artists and arts orgs, supporting an arts industry that fuels the local economy. Our grants help fund concerts, exhibitions and plays; we bring artists into schools and community centers; we advocate for the arts and build audiences through our marketing initiatives. Since moving to our permanent facility in 1998, ArtW has grown its capacity to present original exhibitions that address local and global issues. ArtsW has 4,800 square feet of dedicated exhibition space committed to advancing regional arts and artists. We have shown the work of 1,500+ artists over our 75+ exhibitions and have built a reputation as a premier destination for diverse and high-caliber art experiences. ArtsW is Westchester County's leading advocate for Creative Placemaking, and a sought-after project manager for significant public art projects.

ArtsW Internship Opportunities
ArtsWestchester offers internship opportunities in specialized fields, including Arts & Education, Communications, Arts Programming, Gallery & Exhibitions, and Development & Fundraising. Our interns gain valuable experience that can be used in future careers such as: project management, public relations, professional writing, team collaboration, leadership and responsibility. Our interns enjoy an experience that is both meaningful and educational through creative projects and working closely with the staff members at ArtsWestchester. In addition to contributing to important tasks in specific departments, interns participate in professional development activities and learn the daily operational functions of a successful non-profit organization.

*In addition to any other duties that they may have, the 2022 SLC CLIP Summer intern will have the opportunity to work with ArtsW staff to help document, market, organize, and/or produce The Serious Fun Arts Festival - A four-day festival (July 2022) of arts and culture in Downtown White Plains spearheaded by ArtsWestchester with project partners including the White Plains BID, the MTA Metro North Railroad, and several local developers. The festival will feature headliner musical acts, live mural painting by recognized NY state street artists, family workshops, and other creative activations that will rebrand downtown White Plains as an art-packed destination.

To learn more about internships at ArtsW please visit: https://artswestchester.org/internships-at-artswestchester/#1544649756447-6563b4b9-bcda

Wartburg Adult Care {expander}

The Wartburg Adult Care, located in Mount Vernon NY, enables seniors to live life to their fullest through excellence in healthcare and housing, which nurture body, mind and spirit. Wartburg aims to become a national model for excellence in integrated senior healthcare and housing. The team at Wartburg believes Wartburg is family, including those directly served, their families, the staff, benefactors and volunteers, and that the dedication of a diverse and caring staff makes Wartburg a standard of excellence. Collaboration and partnerships advance Wartburg’s mission and vision.

The CLIP intern working at Wartburg would:

Develop arts and lifelong learning programs for seniors in Wartburg's Memory Care unit. We will aim for 2 events per month that engage the seniors physically, mentally, and socially.
Help facilitate a bi-weekly poetry reading group with seniors in Wartburg's Assisted Living unit.
Contribute to the Wartburg-SLC oral history podcast collaboration. This may entail interviewing seniors, producing new material, searching Warburg archives, and/or marketing the podcasts for a wider public.
Document program activities with photographs and note-taking. Assist with a monthly newsletter.

Hudson River Museum {expander}

As an Intern in the Education Department at the Hudson River Museum you will be exposed to the inner workings of the institution from the point of view of programming for diverse audiences. We create and coordinate a portfolio of museum-school partnerships, conduct museum and classroom sessions; provide professional development; oversee content of all school programs, ensuring consistency in Education Department inquiry-based programming; develop new collaborations; engage in outreach to the community; and prepare grant applications and reports. We are also responsible for Public Programming for all audiences, developed to holistically complement special exhibitions and collections through interdisciplinary experiences connecting Art, History, and Science.

CLIP intern tasks will include the creation, adaptation, development, and facilitation of virtual and live educational programming and digital materials - including events, tours, workshops, and performances for the public; and programs, curricula, lessons, etc., for schools, (including partnerships), and other groups. The intern will also conduct research and general administrative support of programs and Education Department activities. Some weekend and evening hours may be required.

Yonkers Public Library {expander}

The Yonkers Public Library provides a wide variety of educational, cultural, and community programs, events, and resources to all members of the Yonkers community. This intern position will work primarily at YPL's Riverfront branch, centrally located in downtown Yonkers.

CLIP Intern tasks and projects may include:

Evaluating the inventory of local history holdings, verify catalog records, identify preservation needs.

Developing and expanding an index of local history materials collected during the 20^th century.

Assisting in programming needs for local patrons.

Intern may also be asked to write about the internship experience, with the material to be used in a blog post or online article.

Groundwork Hudson Valley {expander}

An Education Intern will work with Groundwork Hudson Valley to assist with programming and maintenance of its floating environmental education center on the Hudson River, the Science Barge. The summer is a dynamic time for programming, development, and greenhouse production, and as such provides for a very dynamic work experience. The SLC student will work in the outdoor classroom on the Barge and in the greenhouse, facilitating sustainability-centered education programs. Subject to pandemic-related restrictions that may limit the possibility for live classroom sessions and tours on the Barge, the SLC student along with others will lead tours of the Science Barge facility and lead program activities for students covering biology, earth science, and physics topics. Background and interest in education preferred. Background and interest in hydroponics, urban agriculture, and biology a plus. Other responsibilities include greenhouse maintenance, and may include supervising interns, social media PR work, etc. This position is expected to include availability for weekend shifts.

A Community Engagement Intern will gain hands-on experience in communications and community outreach and engagement in Yonkers and the surrounding area. Groundwork Hudson Valley’s Climate Resilience Program serves the community through education and community skills training in climate science, environmental and social justice, and methods of adaptation to a changing climate. The Mellon SLICE Intern will be mentored by Groundwork’s Director of Community Relations, and will support social media and email marketing campaigns, assist in drafting copy and content ideation, collaborate on internal and external communications, and support the planning, design, and implementation of community engagement activities. This is one of three Sarah Lawrence Interdisciplinary Collaborative on the Environment (SLICE) summer internships in environmental humanities funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Center for the Urban River at Beczak {expander}

The Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB) is an alliance of Sarah Lawrence College and the Beczak Environmental Education Center. The mission of CURB is to advance environmental knowledge and stewardship by providing high quality K-12 environmental education for the local community, establishing a regional hub for research and monitoring focused on Hudson River estuary and urban watershed issues, and serving as a welcoming open community space for a variety of civic and cultural activities.The Center is located on the banks of the Hudson River at Habirshaw Park, and features a welcoming riverfront lawn, an easily accessible tidal marsh, a beach used for river exploration and seining, and a newly redesigned and outfitted field station lab.

CLIP Intern responsibilities will include:

Assist with the planning and facilitation of on-site environmental education programs, including our Hudson River Ecology Course for Yonkers High School students. Additionally, the intern will team-teach and lead river-based field trips for local community groups. Many of these include Hudson River seining and other waterfront activities. The intern may also work with our Teaching the Environment professional development program, as well as our children’s garden program.
Help staff with ongoing research projects. These include Hudson River seining (fish population monitoring), water quality, eDNA, and more. No prior experience is necessary and training will be provided for any research-based work.
Assist with the maintenance and care of our small aquarium of fish and turtles.
Work with staff on additional projects including gardening, park clean-ups, community and social media outreach, and more.
An interest in environmental education and working with children is desirable.

This is one of three Sarah Lawrence Interdisciplinary Collaborative on the Environment (SLICE) summer internships in environmental humanities funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Untermeyer Park and Gardens {expander}

The Untermyer Gardens Conservancy partners with the City of Yonkers to improve and interpret Untermyer Gardens. This 43-acre public garden, created in 1917 by Samuel and Minnie Untermyer, combines exceptional horticulture, monumental architecture, and multicultural design in a majestic natural setting overlooking the Hudson River. The Conservancy is committed to sharing this outstanding resource with a diverse, global audience. Through its Education and Outreach program, the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy encourages adults and children to interact with the garden and become stakeholders in its future. A variety of nature-based in-garden classes for adults and youth are offered, along with in-garden enrichment activities and cultural events that encourage participants to experience the garden in new ways.

The Education and Outreach Intern will:

· work closely with the Education and Outreach Officer and other Conservancy staff to learn about and manage the programs for adults and children offered throughout the summer;

· receive hands-on experience in producing education programs and cultural events in a public garden setting;

· work with staff and volunteers to develop collaborations between City of Yonkers Public Schools and Untermyer Gardens;

· develop an educational project based on your interests, choosing a topic that relates to the history or natural environment of Untermyer Gardens, to be implemented by the end of the internship.