Summer 2025 Beal Scholars Application
The Beal Scholars Internship Program is a mentored experience for MSU undergraduate students from any discipline. Scholars work with mentors, garden staff, and partners across campus and the community to implement a chosen project that aims to benefit the garden by contributing to our mission and annual goals.
Mission: Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum illuminates the interconnectedness of people, plants, and place through learning, research, and stewardship.
Schedule: May 12 – August 15, 2025
Primary Location: Olds Hall
Hours available: 20-40 hours/week
Pay: $15/hour
Job Posting: March 13, 2025
Application Closes: March 31, 2025 at 7:00am
Interviews: April 7 – 11, 2025
Decision: April 16, 2025
For questions: Maeve Bassett, Education Director, at basset63@msu.edu
Project Descriptions:
Plant Conservation
Support conservation and restoration at Beal by focusing on native Michigan plants in our collections; improving records, acquiring rare/endangered plants, effective interpretation, and facilitating engagement.
Desired skills: Michigan ecology/native plants, conservation/restoration
Events Coordination
Support event planning and logistics – partner communication, promotional material creation, social media and outreach coordination, etc.
Desired skills: public events, graphic design
Collections Management
Support themes of conservation, community representation, and the arts in Beal’s collections by working with existing collections to ensure they meet audience needs; researching potential collection additions and modifications.
Desired skills: Databases, collections, mapping
Community Engagement
Support community engagement with Beal, spend the summer supporting volunteer management and recruitment, community tabling and education, weekend tabling, and guest engagement.
Project specific hours:
- (Required) 4 hours Saturday OR Sunday (Within 10:00 – 5:00)
- (Required) 8 hours Monday (Within 7:00 – 5:00)
- (Required) 8 hours Wednesday (7:00 – 3:30 or 8:00 – 4:30)
- 8 hours Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (Within 7:00 – 5:00)
Additional/Flexible hours for events
Desired skills: Communication, Community Engagement, Public Education
Education – Art in the Garden
Apply your creativity by integrating arts into Beal’s programming, events (particularly Music and the Garden), and engagement; working with partners to integrate art into the garden and develop grab and go educational materials.
Desired skills: artistic background, public education, partner coordination
Re-Wilding Beal
Support Beal’s 2025 ‘re-wilding’ goal with historical research into the region’s history prior to MSU’s establishment. Scholar will compile and use their research to develop educational information and support awareness campaigns.
Desired skills: Historical/archival research, archeology/anthropology classes
Indigenous Cultures/Interpretation
Support interpretive accuracy and inclusivity by researching Ojibwe/Anishinaabe plant names and ensuring Indigenous perspectives are thoughtfully represented throughout Beal, particularly in the 4 Sisters Garden.
Desired skills: working with indigenous communities, languages
Digital Engagement
Work with Beal’s new IrisBG database system, building out digital explorations (virtual tours and facilitated engagements with the collections); developing introductory explorations and standardizing developed explorations. Review the database for ease of use and accessibility.
Desired skills: copy editing, accessibility reviews, public education