Internships

In 2001, the University of Washington Rome Center established a year-long student internship position designed to give UW students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience working in an office environment in an international setting. It was named the Trina Deines Rome Center Internship in 2009 in honor of our UWRC Director Emeritus.

The position is especially well suited to a student working on Italian language studies or on another independent study topic that would be enriched by study in Italy, but is open to anyone who is interested in working and studying abroad. The internship starts in June each year, and includes 20 hours of work per week. Hours are flexible; some hours are occasionally required outside of normal office hours.

Job duties

A full job description is available here. General duties of the position include:

• Front desk assistance (e.g., answering phone and greeting guests, errands, filing, distributing mail, photocopying)
• Assist with program arrivals and departures (e.g., onboarding and offboarding students, facilitating UWRC/apartment check in and check out)
• Help maintain the UWRC website; write, capture and post student stories of the study abroad experience on UWRC social media
• Assist with classroom management (e.g., arranging tables/chairs, setting up and troubleshooting A/V equipment)
• Maintain library and computer lab (e.g., shelving and cataloging books, IT troubleshooting, recharge print accounts)
• Help students integrate into life in Rome (e.g., liaising with landlord, making doctors appointments)

Academic Requirements

• You must be enrolled as a UW student and registered via “Concurrent Enrollment” through UW Study Abroad for the duration of the internship. Recent graduates are not eligible to apply.
• You must complete an independent study project or work towards a thesis/dissertation while in Rome.
• A UW faculty member must supervise your independent study project or thesis/dissertation work.

Additional Requirements

• Eligibility for an Italian study visa (long-stay, multiple-entry type) for 1 year. Confirm your eligibility here. Visa information can be found here.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Working knowledge of spoken and written Italian.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Compensation

• Studio apartment at the Rome Center (includes weekly cleaning and all utilities except phone)
• $600 monthly stipend

Application

Apply here by November 30, 2025.

Questions?

Contact Amity Neumeister, UWRC Resident Director, at amity@uw.edu.

The UW Rome Center has a growing and carefully selected collection of books and teaching materials, strong in the areas of Architecture, Classics, Art History and related fields. It is located at Palazzo Pio, in the historic center of Rome. Over 400 students enrolled in Rome Center-based study abroad programs use the library each year. The Rome Center Internship – Directed Fieldwork opportunity is offered in partnership with the iSchool and UW Libraries.

The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program is a globally-recognized program that educates students for careers and leadership roles in library and information science professions. The Directed Fieldwork opportunity at the Rome Center provides students with a structured opportunity to gain practical experience in a library setting. Directed Fieldwork allows students to apply concepts and practices learned in coursework to professional-level work under the guidance of a qualified supervisor.

Overview

Dates: 3 to 4 weeks usually in July/August

Housing: Studio apartment provided (for one or two students). All utilities except phone included.

Travel arrangements: Students are responsible for their own travel and daily expenses.

Qualifications

Required

• LIS 531 (Intro to Cataloging) or equivalent experience or class work in preservation of library materials.
• Familiarity with the LC classification system.

Preferred

• Some reading knowledge of Italian.
• Background in architecture, art history, or Classics.

Job duties

iSchool students who perform directed field work help maintain and organize the Rome Center’s collection of 4,500 books, periodicals and DVD’s. Interns make improvements to the physical state of the collection, make recommendations for the coming year, work to catalog materials and improve the collection’s database.

Apply

Please email a letter of interest, resume, and the names of two references to:

Cate Gerhart
Music/Media Librarian, Suzzallo Library, Monographic Services Division
gerhart@u.washington.edu