Intern, Office of the President

Description

Who We Are

Are you ready to work at a dynamic institution that believes in higher education with lower obstacles? Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology (Franklin Cummings Tech) is a nationally accredited non-profit, technical college serving Massachusetts. The college was seeded in 1791 with funds from the estate of Benjamin Franklin given to the City of Boston to proliferate access to apprenticeship and entrepreneurship. Today, that legacy has evolved into an accredited college that delivers accessible tech and trade education to level the playing field for aspiring talent.

With a mission to deliver transformative technical and trade education that leads to economic advancement, Franklin Cummings Tech offers a unique mix of certificates and degrees that appeal to enterprising students from Eastern Massachusetts and respond to employer demand for a well-prepared workforce. Intentional partnerships with the industries we serve coupled with high graduation and job placement rates, recently attracted the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the college from the Cummings Foundation, helping to spur incredible growth in the past four years.

Franklin Cummings Tech educates more than 1,000 learners annually across three student types: 1) certificate and degree seekers, 2) continuing education enrollees, and 3) early college students. As evidence that our mission holds resonance student enrollment is up and Fall 2027 applications have soared 16% year over year.

We seek optimistic, data-informed, and dedicated colleagues who are eager to increase student success outcomes and boost total enrollment to 1,500 learners by 2030. Join us in this mission-driven work. 

Position Summary

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting directly to the Chief of Staff to the President, the Graduate Intern will receive a hands-on, behind-the-scenes view of higher education administration, organizational strategy, and institutional operations. Working with the Chief of Staff, the Intern will assist with day-to-day presidential office operations, support select student-facing events, research modern administrative tools (including generative AI applications), and draft operational documents and communications.

A central project for this internship will be supporting the President’s Office Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) framework. The Intern will serve as an operational liaison to help directors, associate deans, and department leads across key campus divisions—such as Enrollment, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, the Registrar, and Advancement—adapt and establish their own departmental SOP workbooks. This role provides an unmatched opportunity for a graduate education student to gain deep, practical familiarity with the inner workings of an urban technical college.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Operational Frameworks & Process Integration (Core Project)

· SOP Workbook Management: Work directly under the guidance of the Chief of Staff and alongside the Senior Executive Assistant to maintain and refine the President's Office SOP Checklist Workbook.

· Departmental Liaison: Act as a project liaison to directors, associate deans, and department leads across key administrative and academic divisions, introducing the SOP template and assisting them in adapting it for their teams.

· Cross-Functional Insight: Develop a 360-degree understanding of institutional workflows across Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, Development/Advancement, and Governance.

2. Special Projects & Modern Office Innovation

· Event & Meeting Support: Assist the Chief of Staff and Senior Executive Assistant with the planning, logistics, and coordination of presidential events, retreats, and gatherings.

· Document Creation & Synthesis: Draft clear, concise briefing materials, process guides, meeting summaries, and institutional reports.

· AI & Administrative Research: Explore, test, and recommend emerging AI tools and digital workflow practices to modernize office operations and enhance productivity.

3. Student Engagement & Event Ambassador

· Campus Traditions & Events: Assist with student-facing events, town halls, commencement activities, and campus traditions hosted by the President's Office.

· Student Liaison Role: Serve as an approachable student ambassador at President's Office events, helping build meaningful connections between administration and the student body.

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN

· Direct Mentorship: 1-on-1 guidance, supervision, and professional mentorship from the Chief of Staff to the President.

· Institutional Insight: Comprehensive exposure to how an accredited technical college operates across academic, administrative, and student-centered divisions.

· Portfolio Development: Tangible, resume-building experience leading a cross-departmental administrative framework initiative and introducing innovative tech tools to executive processes.

Requirements

· Currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE).

· Graduate Intern is also expected to enroll in S997 alongside the internship.

· Interest in higher education administration, organizational development, leadership, or student affairs.

· Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

· Curiosity about modern workplace tools, generative AI applications, and process optimization.

· Strong organizational skills with high attention to detail.

· Ability to work collaboratively with diverse administrative stakeholders (directors, associate deans, staff) and maintain discretion with confidential information.

  The compensation for this position is $22 per hour for up to 140 hours per semester.
 

Please note: Franklin Cummings Tech is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing basis without sponsorship to be considered for this position at Franklin Cummings Tech.

 Franklin Cummings Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.