SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Summer 2023 Intern, Griffin Ryker, assisting in clean up after the June 2023 wind storm in which the Park sustained significant damage.
Summer 2022 Intern, Tatum Thrasher, culling pond plants for an upcoming plant sale.
About Tulsa Garden Center
The Tulsa Garden Center, located in the historic Snedden Mansion within Woodward Park at 2435 South Peoria Ave, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as horticultural headquarters with diverse educational opportunities for our community, and to provide exceptional and unique guest experiences. The Tulsa Garden Center fulfills this role by offering numerous lectures, classes, training, plant shows, and special events throughout the year, which are predominantly free for its Members. Additionally, 16 affiliated organizations such as the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, the Tulsa Rose Society, and the Tulsa Garden Club, call Tulsa Garden Center home for their horticultural and environmental activities, supplementing our extensive list of educational opportunities with even more events open to the public.
About the Teaching Garden at Woodward Park
The Teaching Garden and Volunteer Program, under the umbrella of the Tulsa Garden Center, offers a wealth of horticulture education for even the most novice gardeners. Well-trained volunteers maintain the garden and share their knowledge and love of horticulture with the public of all ages. Each Garden area is magnificent in its design with cutting edge garden materials and plants on view. Stone, brick, metal, wood and the newest and best plant species and cultivars are creatively used to demonstrate the most successful gardening techniques. Situated on 1.55 acres with hundreds of shrubs, perennials, annuals, herbs and vegetables, as well as a large pond fed by waterfalls and streams splashing over large boulders, the Teaching Garden demonstrates how gardeners may achieve maximum design impact in small urban spaces. The Teaching Garden is located due east of the Tulsa Rose Garden and the Tulsa Garden Center Mansion in Woodward Park.
About the Internship
The Teaching Garden at Woodward Park Summer Internship in Horticulture offers prospective, current, or recent students an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in horticulture. The internship is a paid full-time 12-week position (not to exceed 480 hours) that will provide students the opportunity to broaden their experience in the maintenance of plant collections in a public garden setting. This internship is a temporary position designed to fulfill the requirements necessary to obtain three (3) credit hours of HORT 2010 at Oklahoma State University. Students pursuing a degree in Horticulture (or related field) at a two (2) or four (4) year college will be given preference, but degree pursuance is NOT REQUIRED.
In addition to daily hands-on experience in the garden, our interns also have opportunities to:
• Work directly with an experienced Horticulturist and Garden Manager.
• Help maintain an extensive plant collection and help evaluate new varieties of herbaceous and woody plants.
• Work with over 100 trained volunteers. You will learn how to organize a large volunteer group to maintain a public garden.
• Work with volunteer committees. You will have the opportunity to learn about public outreach to school groups and other specialized communities.
• Work with media. You will be included in meetings with local news outlets, television, and print, which are used to keep the public informed and aware.
• Meet garden visitors. The Teaching Garden is an outdoor classroom, and our visitors are our students. Interns will enjoy sharing the beauty of the garden with the public.
• Work with nursery and landscape industry representatives. You will be included in meetings pertaining to the ever-evolving status of the teaching garden.
Other requirements
Highly organized and motivated with a strong work ethic.
Excellent communication skills, enthusiasm, and desire to learn.
Willingness and ability to work full days outdoors in a hot and humid environment and ability to lift and carry at least 35 lbs.
Possess a commitment to the Tulsa Garden Center’s mission of connecting all people to nature.
Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including some weekends and holidays.
Must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Campus Tulsa will provide housing opportunities to this role as well as full access to their summer events. Campus Tulsa serves students by providing them access to Tulsa's internship opportunities, housing benefits, and the ability to network and create community within Tulsa. You can read more about this free program here.
APPLICATION CYCLE FOR 2024 IS NOW CLOSED. WE WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 IN JANUARY.