Friends of the Parks Internship Program

The FOTP Internship Program allows university students to turn their passion for conservation, environmental education, and community engagement into real-world experience. Interns gain practical skills, explore nonprofit operations, and contribute directly to projects in advocacy and policy, communications, development, and environmental education.

FOTP is proud to partner with leading academic institutions to provide meaningful internship opportunities that connect students with hands-on experience in park advocacy, environmental stewardship, community engagement, research, and nonprofit leadership.

Our university partnerships include collaborations with Loyola University Chicago, the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, creating pathways for students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world projects that support Chicago’s parks and communities. Our UIC partnership includes work with specialized programs such as the UIC Illuminate Program and the UIC Freshwater Lab.

Through these partnerships, interns gain professional experience while contributing to initiatives that advance equitable access to parks, environmental research, and community-driven park advocacy throughout Chicago.