College Internships

Our PAGE Interns are core members of our team each year.

We are excited to offer up to five internships each year through a competitive application process open to returning undergraduates who are currently attending an institution of higher learning in Appalachia. We will also consider students who are from the region or have a meaningful connection to this place. This is a paid internship opportunity that also includes a living/transportation stipend.

PAGE interns work for 8 Summer weeks in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in Madison County. College interns serve with our year-round and summer PAGE staff. Our goal is to create a truly collaborative experience, in which each team member has an opportunity for leadership and learning.

We invest deeply in the education and mentoring we provide for PAGE Interns. We provide pre-program training for the Summer projects, which in years past have included oral histories, digital storytelling, podcasts, gardening, and other interdisciplinary labs. Our staff each Summer includes Project Facilitators: documentary and visual artists, digital learning specialists, teaching artists, historians and scientists. These Project Facilitators provide mentoring and guidance for our College Interns, so they can create empowering learning experiences for girls.

PAGE interns are financially compensated for their work, although the details of their pay depends on the specific school they attend (whether their school or program offers internship stipends, for example). In addition, they can apply for a living stipend that can be used for their housing and/or transportation needs. If desired, PAGE interns can use these funds to live on nearby UNCA's campus for June and July. A personal vehicle is required, though some interns prefer to carpool for the commute. Questions about pay will be discussed during the interviews or can be directed to maia.surdam@pageprograms.com

Interns benefit from the leadership and support provided by PAGE’s Programs Director (Maia Surdam), Assistant to the Program Director (Debbie Chandler), Executive Director (Rebecca Stephens), Communications Specialist (Ryn McCall), and Future Pathways Coordinator (Dr. Cathryn Hughes-Barnett).

We foster community among our Summer team members by planning cultural activities that allow interns to learn more about the traditions, histories, and landscapes of southern Appalachia. Food is an important part of the PAGE Summer program as well. During active programming, our Food Coordinator and “Kitchen Angels” provide two delicious meals per day featuring seasonal and local ingredients as much as possible.

In years past, we have hired college students from Berea College, Mars Hill University, Duke University, University of North Carolina-Asheville, and Western Carolina University. We invite Undergraduates who are from Appalachia or who are currently attending an institution of higher learning in the region to consider applying to become part of our team — and our story.

Application Period: Open through January 31, 2025 (on a rolling basis; apply early if interested)

Preview the 2025 Internship Application

Collage - photos of interns working with girls in the PAGE program

I did the PAGE internship during my last summer at Duke. I wanted to use my last summer to return to what was really meaningful to me in a region that I cared about. I knew that I wanted to go to law school the next year, but I wanted to have an experience that reminded me why I want to advocate for education in underserved areas for the rest of my career. PAGE was the perfect opportunity to do that. Not only was living in Madison County a reminder of the absolute beauty of Appalachia and the South, but italso was testament to the fact that there are so many industrious and innovative people in that area that deserve the same resources and attention as people in more connected places.”

Meg Hancock, 2019 PAGE Intern and Duke University Class of 2020

“PAGE really helped me develop a sense of confidence both in myself and inmy decision to pursue a career working with children and teenagers. The inclusive and non-judgmental atmosphere of the program helped me grow as a person and a youth advocate.”

Emily Krolak, 2019 PAGE Intern and Berea College Class of 2022

“When I think back to last summer, I most often think about the young women in my literature group who at first hated poetry but came to not only appreciate it, but also love it. It reminds me how important words can be and how meaningful it can be to discover your own voice.”

Madison Catrett, 2019 PAGE Intern and Duke University Class of 2021

“PAGE introduced me to six of the most strong, thoughtful, empowering women I have ever met. After living and working with the other college interns, I gained a group of supportive women who I know will always be in my corner.”

Callie Keen, 2019 PAGE Intern and Duke University Class of 2020

I'm moving into my new apartment this fall and have been scouring Facebook Marketplace for a suitable rocking chair. I don't know if I've ever felt as much peace as when I sat in the rocking chair on our porch in Mars Hill, but I'm happy to report I finally found a very comfortable (and equally free) rocking chair of my own!

I'm so excited to read on it and continue retraining my attention span. I wanted to say thank you again for the summer that changed my life. I remember how excited you got when I mentioned how meaningful the rocking chair was, so I wanted to share my big update!

Lisa Zhao, 2021 Intern

“A wonderful thing about PAGE is that it brings together strong, like-minded women, and my heart felt happily at home with the other interns.”

Emma Garman, 2019 PAGE Intern and Duke University Class of 2021

One of my favorite quotes is by bell hooks and reads, 'knowledge is rooted in experience'. As a future teacher, I seek spaces where this kind of philosophy is exemplified by educational facilitators. The Partnership for Appalachian Girls Education is a space that certainly fosters this type of environment by providing a world-class educational experience for young girls. Being a part of PAGE was such a joyful experience because it allowed a space for growth, both for interns and student participants alike. There are no hierarchies of domination, rather, we were all learning and growing together.

Amy Stemann, PAGE Intern 2021 & 2022

“Getting to work with the girls everyday was definitely the most meaningful part. Eating meals, baking biscuits, painting home, telling stories, having dance parties, writing, and talking about Appalachian culture all contributed to the amazing Summer I spent with PAGE.”

Rhea Carter, 2019 PAGE Intern and Berea College Class of 2020

“PAGE has played an integral role in my life at Duke and beyond. I stumbled into the program in its very first summer and fell in love with the Madison County community and its energetic young girls. We spent those first days painting our first bookshelf and recruiting our inaugural class of middle school girls. Four years later, those same girls read, write, and create with confidence alongside new PAGE generations. Our students' work connects me to their hopes, fears, families, and strongly felt sense of place. I remain connected to the program because PAGE's community partners feel like family, and Madison's mountains feel like home.”

Emily McGinty, PAGE intern 2010, Duke Class of 2013 Current member of Advisory Committee for PAGE