AMRoC (Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center) - Fab Lab Sewing & Textiles Intern

Employer

University of South Florida (USF) - Mellon Humanities Internship Program

Mellon Humanities Internship Program
Title:  AMRoC Fab Lab - Fab Lab Sewing & Textiles Intern 
Internship Site: 2154 University Square Mall, Tampa, FL 33612
Field: Non-profit Organizations
Total Internship Hours: 50
Location: Onsite – Tampa, FL

MHI Compensation: This position is eligible for the MHI $1000 Scholarship. Students who receive an offer for this position will be required to enroll in the Mellon Humanities Internship course to receive the $1000 scholarship disbursement. As referenced in the Student Interest Form that you filled out to sign up for participation in MHI, this scholarship can impact, or be impacted by, other financial aid you receive. 

If an internship requires out of pocket costs, students may apply for reimbursement for expenses including background checks, qualifying travel, or equipment. All applications will be reviewed and processed for eligibility. Please contact your departments internship coordinator for more details.

The $1000 scholarship offered for this position is intended to provide financial assistance for the pursuit of your education; it is not compensation for the performance of any services and does not create an employment relationship between the you and the Site.

This position is an experiential learning opportunity and receipt of the scholarship is tied to an academic course (IDS 3947). If you do not complete your registration for the course in a timely manner, your internship offer may be withdrawn, and your department’s Internship Coordinator may notify the host organization that the position has reopened.

Job Description:                                                                                                      

Find your tribe at AMRoC Fab Lab! The Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center (AMRoC) Fab Lab is a program of the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation (FCDI).  AMRoC aims to inspire personal empowerment through creative self-expression, entrepreneurship support and by bridging the manufacturing and industry talent gap through robust project-based engineering education and training.

The AMRoC Fab Lab Sewing & Textiles Center intern will help support and improve the Fab Lab’s popular “Sew Chill” community sewing program.  Held twice a week at AMRoC, the sewing program draws hobbyists as well as those interested in saving money on clothing repairs and improvements, and those interested in costuming, fashion design and home textiles.

This opportunity to work with AMRoC’s sewing specialist is great for students interested in fashion design, cosplay or costuming, traditional trades, crafts or skills and women’s studies.  The Refugee and Migrant Women’s Initiative (RAMWI) also meets once a month at the AMRoC Sewing Center, providing an opportunity to see and learn from traditional designers and crafters, and to help support that program as well.  

Over the course of the internship, students will help create Sewing and Textiles Center Guides for instructors and students,  instructional, documentation and informational materials,  develop new sewing projects, explore ways to expand generational and cross gender program appeal, and help identify relevant grants and funding to help keep the program free for the community.

Responsibilities for Textiles Center Intern:

• Effectively manage assigned daily or weekly tasks by site supervisor
• Be able to assist others in sewing program
• Help create a Sewing and Textiles Center guide for best practices, calendar of events and programs, communications system, etc.
• Help capture and impart sewing history through signage, posters, and video as companion visual and educational material to sewing center
• Develop one beginning sewing project with complete start to finish printed instructions
• Document sewing program throughout internship, for use in social media and training materials
• Provide some research support to explore ways to expand generational appeal for sewing program 
• Help identify and assist in applying for sewing and textiles related grants