Basic Info
The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP), created by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered in partnership with Environment for the Americas, is designed to provide internship opportunities to young adults in diverse professional fields in the National Park Service. The program helps raise awareness of our national parks and historic sites, their accessibility, and the need for the Latino community’s involvement in their preservation and in meaningful and relevant science-based internships.
For this purpose, highly motivated undergraduate and graduate students will be selected to work alongside NPS historians, interpreters, archaeologists, architects, researchers, biologists, communicators, and other professionals in different national parks, offices, and historical sites throughout the nation. Students will have substantive assignments in their areas of study, work closely with NPS staff day-to-day, and receive additional mentoring and support through the program partners.
LHIP, working in collaboration with conservation partners like Environment for the Americas, allows the NPS to invest in cost-efficient strategies geared toward recruiting and developing entry-level talent to potentially to help build a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
Program goals and objectives:
The Latino Heritage Internship Program supports a number of the Department of the Interior priorities.
- Introduces employment opportunities in the NPS with an emphasis on cultural and natural resource stewardship, interpretation, and community outreach to Latino young adults.
- Develops mission critical internship projects that support the NPS goals and objectives at national parks and offices.
- Collaborates with Latino conservation organizations to help expand NPS outreach into Latino communities nationally and develop deep and sustainable relationships.
- Establishes a pipeline for converting talented Latino students into career positions in the NPS.
The Latino Heritage Internship Program is offered at national parks across the United States and its territories. Some experiences are offered at remote parks, such as Lassen Volcano National Park, while others are located in cities and urban areas, such as Salem and Saugus Ironworks National Historic Site.
The National Park Service and Environment for the Americas work together to develop unique, paid internship opportunities for participants. Environment for the Americas manages the program by promoting the available positions to qualified students and recent graduates. We also provide additional training through webinars, special activities, and regular communication with participants. In addition, we organize the following:
- All program logistics, including travel;
- A post-internship career and leadership workshop;
- Stipends that are paid every two weeks;
- Distribution of intern materials, including supplies, uniforms, and manuals;
- Regular trainings and meetings throughout the internship via Zoom.
Applicant review will begin on February 7th, when the application period closes. Our timeline is as follows:
- Dec 3 – Feb 7: Application Period Open
- Feb 7 – Feb 22: Interview qualified candidates
- Feb 22 – March 5: Parks receive applications from top candidates
- March 6 – March 22: Parks interview top candidates
- March 28: Selected candidates are offered positions
- April 6: Selected candidate deadline to accept or decline the position
- May 25: Internships begin (with dates flexed for students who are completing classes)
- August 1 – August 5: Required post-internship workshop
The National Park Service is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, it safeguards these special places and shares their stories with more than 330 million visitors every year.
The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The park service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Environment for the Americas’ mission is to connect diverse people to nature and bird conservation through research and education. We have developed internship opportunities for underrepresented youth since 2009. We create connections to nature, science, research, and other fields of study by providing unique, hands-on learning opportunities. Our partnership with the National Park Service is built on our internship model, which offers additional training, mentorship, and assistance finding subsequent positions.
