Blue Iris Farm Internship Program
Blue Iris Farm is proud to offer internship opportunities in partnership with accredited universities. Our internship programs provide students with valuable hands-on experience in animal care, farm management, marketing, and community outreach while making a positive impact on the lives of rescued farm animals. We offer three distinct internship programs that cater to different fields of study and interests.
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CCE Program
Our Eastern Connecticut State University CCE (Center for Community Engagement) program caters to students interested in animal science, biology, anatomy, and veterinary medicine.
Volunteers will assist in feeding, walking, and caring for farm animals, as well as other miscellaneous tasks such as cleaning and and other general farm maintenance. Those interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine will get the opportunity to administer shots, conduct hoof/nail trimming, grooming and hygienic care, and take vitals under the supervision of a professional.
Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary Internship
Our Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary internship is ideal for students majoring in biology, health science, chemistry, and environmental earth science who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Interns will have the opportunity to practice crucial tasks necessary for a career in the field. Tasks will include assisting in feeding, watering, grooming, walking, and caring for farm animals, as well as additional miscellaneous tasks such as cleaning and painting as needed. Interns will get the opportunity to administer shots and take vitals under the supervision of a professional. They will create an animal care log spreadsheet to include all data collected from vitals for volunteers to use. In addition, interns will create and follow a deworming, vaccination, and nutrition calendar.
Social Work/Community Engagement Internship
Our Social Work/Community Engagement Internship is suitable for students majoring in education, English, psychology, and social work. Interns will be responsible for the development and running of workshops and programs, as well as plan retreats for interested groups, such as special education programs, summer camps, leadership groups, and nursing center groups. They will organize a pen pal program with a local elementary school. In addition, they will establish enrichment activities between animals and people to include in the animal assisted therapy program. Additional tasks will include writing email newsletters and blog posts, interviewing past guests, assisting with ideas and brainstorming, and drafting craft projects and activity plans for guests.
Marketing & Advertising/Community Outreach Internship
Our Marketing & Advertising/Community Outreach Internship is perfect for those interested in business, communication, film, advertising, and social media. Interns will be responsible for filing (both digital and paper), making and receiving phone calls, data entry, running social media, mailing products, and monitoring/editing websites. They will work one on one with the farm’s website designer and advertising personnel to improve skills and understand logistics of a business’ social media and community outreach. They will take photos and videos for content. In addition, a database will be created with all information and logs of animals in accordance with USDA guidelines. Additional tasks include attending community networking events, advertising farm events, programs, and retreats, creating and updating volunteer and intern handbooks, and searching for, writing, and applying for grants.
Qualifications and Application Process
All interns must be actively enrolled in a degree-granting program at an accredited institution during the length of the program and be able to provide documentation to confirm your degree progress. Current class standing of sophomore or above (30 credits) is required. Interns must be willing to be present at the Blue Iris Rescue & Retreat in Lebanon, CT. The entire internship will be on-site. The number of available spots per semester is limited, so we encourage interested students to apply early. Applications will be reviewed by the Blue Iris Farm team and selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Our team is looking for self-motivated, responsible, trustworthy, goal-oriented, honest, optimistic, hard-working, kind, supportive, and reliable individuals who are passionate about animal care, agriculture, and community outreach.
How to Apply
To apply, interested students should apply with the Internship Application on our Resources Page. Please indicate the specific internship program you are interested in and the semester you are applying for. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Evaluation and Learning Outcomes
At the end of the internship program, interns will be evaluated and assessed based on their performance and learning outcomes. Essays will be assigned as necessary to summarize learning for a period, and a final capstone project will be completed upon completion. These internships are unpaid and interns are responsible for providing their own transportation.
We are excited
to offer these internship programs in partnership with accredited universities and provide students with the opportunity to gain valuable experience, develop important skills, and make a positive impact on the lives of rescued farm animals. If you have any questions about our internship programs, please contact us.