Vice President of Development

To apply, please email [email protected]

Be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn

Interns for Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire give of their time and talents to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. All of our internships are unpaid; however, in return for their hard work and dedication, our interns receive valuable training, knowledge, hands-on non-profit work experience, a chance to meet others, and the gratification of making a difference in the life of a child.

Academic credit can also be provided for students (specific criteria/requirements of the student’s educational institution apply). All interns must be a current undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a course within their internship semester (over the age of 18) with excellent written and oral communications skills, organizational skills, attention to detail, the ability to multitask and maintain confidentiality, computer proficiency, and a passion for the work of Make-A-Wish.

COVID-19 Update: Our offices are open to the public once again. All internships are planned to be in-person either at our Irvine or Riverside offices. We are no-longer offering a remote format for the internship program.

Our interns assist in various areas of Make-A-Wish alongside staff and other volunteers. The following are the current internship opportunities that are available for Fall 2024:

IRVINE OFFICE OR RIVERSIDE OFFICE

The Events Intern will assist with soliciting in-kind donations for auctions and setting up Silent Auctions at events such as The Make-A-Wish Gala. They will also assist with additional event logistics coordination. 

Responsibilities: 

• Assist in event and project management functions such as auction coordination 
• Learn development and fundraising aspects within and relative to a non-profit setting 
• Conduct research and outreach related to major projects, campaigns, and fundraising events 
• Support marketing and communications related to events 
• Participate in the creative process of event coordination by designing elements to elevate guest experience

The Youth Programs Intern will assist with Kids for Wish Kids (KFWK) and Wish Makers on Campus (WMOC) programs, creating and updating toolkits and resources for KFWK and WMOC, assisting in developing leadership trainings and seminars, and other efforts for our youth programs. 

Responsibilities:  

• Assist with the Youth Programs Leadership Summit 
• Work to onboard new Make-A-Wish clubs 
• Updating materials for Kids for Wish Kids (KFWK) and Wish Makers on Campus (WMOC) programs 
• Assist with general office duties, conducting research, event planning, and marketing/public relations 
• Build and strengthen relationships with local schools 
• Coordinate event logistics related to youth engagement programs

IRVINE OFFICE

The Marketing and Communications Intern will assist with marketing and communications as well as creating and developing content and social management efforts of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire. The Intern will also further develop skills in marketing, brand management, and written and oral communications. 

Responsibilities:  

• Assist with managing the Make-A-Wish OCIE Chapter merchandise store 
• Creating promotional materials for both internal and external use 
• Support marketing department operations by assisting with the monthly newsletter and event marketing. 
• Provide updates to the Make-A-Wish OCIE Chapter website as needed 
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team and other departments to ensure cohesive branding and messaging across all platforms 
• Stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve our social media strategy 
• Assist with developing content, including text, images and videos, to showcase wish stories, events, and fundraising initiatives

The Social Media Intern will assist with managing strategic social media content for Make-A-Wish OCIE’s various platform accounts such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

Responsibilities: 

• Participate in content creation including text, images, and videos to showcase wish kid stories, events, and fundraising initiatives 
• Work with the Marketing & Communications Manager to plan strategic social media campaigns 
• Assist with promoting the Gala and capturing content to highlight this and other events 
• Draft media to highlight and celebrate Make-A-Wish community partners

The Wish Programs Intern will assist with various facets of the Volunteer Services program and Wish department support. This will involve duties such as onboarding volunteers, database management, and supporting communication/outreach to wish families and/or the wish granting process.  

Responsibilities: 

• Volunteer Services
  • Support onboarding processes by creating files and performing data entry of new volunteers and interns
  • Assist with Wish Granter and event specific volunteer training preparation
  • Collaborate with the Volunteer & Outreach Manager to initiate, monitor, and update annual volunteer paperwork renewals 
  • Research and assist with facilitating volunteer recognition and engagement initiatives 
• Wish Support
  • Work with the VP of Mission Delivery on as needed wish management tasks 
  • Support communication between Wish department staff and families 

The Development Intern will be assisting with event preparation and logistics of fundraising events, supporting donor communication efforts, and maintaining fundraising databases. 

Responsibilities: 

• Conduct research on potential donors, foundations, and corporations in the local community 
• Perform community outreach to promote Make-A-Wish's mission 
• Preparing informational collateral to promote the organization, events, etc. 
• Identify opportunities for local partnerships and manage research results 
• Conduct research and outreach related to major projects, campaigns, and fundraising events 

All internships require a passion for and commitment to the work of Make-A-Wish.

The Community Engagement Intern will facilitate outreach processes by connecting local businesses/community organizations with Make-A-Wish Speaker’s Bureau volunteers for informational presentations. They will also provide inter-departmental support as needed.

Responsibilities: 

• Research, develop, and maintain an ongoing list of local businesses/community organizations in Orange County and the Inland Empire that are open to hosting MAWOCIE Speaker's Bureau volunteers
• Initiate outreach communication (emails and/or phone calls) to groups to assess Chapter support interest 
• Serve as a liaison and coordinate between groups and volunteers to increase community outreach efforts 
• Work to ensure the community outreach program is sustainable for next liaison to continue 
• Work with Volunteer & Outreach Manager to help facilitate Speaker’s Bureau training sessions 
• Support Executive Assistant with Operations-related tasks as needed 
• Provide inter-departmental support as needed 

All internships require a passion for and commitment to the work of Make-A-Wish.

To apply for an internship position, you must submit:  

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Intern Application Form

E-mail: [email protected] 

Please note that the dates below are subject to change. Based on a student's availability and school schedule, internships can begin or end before or after the dates indicated below. 

2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR 

SPRING 2025
Dates of program: January 13 - May 16
Applications Accepted: November 4 - December 2

 
SUMMER 2024
Dates of program: June 3 - August 9
Applications Accepted: April 15 - May 10

  
FALL 2024
Dates of program: September 9 - December 13
Applications Accepted: July 22 - August 9

Interns generally work between 8-10 hours per week. While these time frames work best for most students, all scheduling, including start/end dates and hours per week, is flexible and negotiated between the candidate and their supervisor during the interview stage of the selection process.

All hired interns must successfully complete a background check and attend an orientation session prior to beginning their internship.  

Should you have any questions during the application process, please email [email protected].