Graphic Design and Visual Content: Spring 2026 Internship

University City Partners (UCP) is a nonprofit organization that invests resources to shape public spaces and plan for a better-built environment that influences the way we live, work, play, stay, and learn in Charlotte’s University City.

University City Partners invites others to invest in the community through headquarters, small to midsize business, real estate, or home. Building University City is not only about developing the landscape, it’s about building relationships and a stronger, forward-moving community.

Our Mission: We envision and implement strategies and actions to drive University City’s long-term economic vitality as a center for employment, living, education, commerce, and entertainment.

Our Vision is for University City to be a vibrant place that is urban in scale and design. It will be energized by transit and will be a popular and accessible destination, offering diverse and unique choices for living, shopping, working, learning, and leisure. It will become a premier employment center in the region, with sophisticated infrastructure and attractive amenities.

For more information, visit: universitycitypartners.org.

Scope of Work:

University City Partners is seeking a Graphic Design Intern to support marketing, communications, and event related design needs across the organization. This intern will play a key role in creating high quality visual materials that support UCP’s signature events, community outreach, and stakeholder communications.
This position is ideal for a student building a professional design portfolio who wants real world nonprofit and community based experience.

The Graphic Design Intern will support UCP staff by creating and updating visual materials used for marketing, communications, events, and presentations. Work will align with UCP brand standards and support ongoing initiatives, signature events, and public engagement efforts.

Duration and Compensation: The internship will run for each semester, with 10 hours per week. Yet hours may vary due to event calendar. Start and end dates are flexible, based on Intern's academic year. Intern will be compensated $20 an  hour.

Spring Internship Start Date: January 20, 2026 and End Date: April 24, 2026

Learning Outcomes:

● Learn how to apply the principles of related majors and fields of study in a non-profit organization

● Gain experience in project management

● Create materials that can be included in a professional portfolio

● Exposure to community leaders and businesses and increase knowledge of the local non-profit sector.

Regular tasks include research, writing, data collection, and additional support of projects and initiatives; database input; administrative support; help processing mailings; supporting community engagement and outreach; helping to staff events; creating content for social media platforms.

Essential Functions:

● Shadowing: Shadow staff during meetings and gain exposure to professional business meetings, meet community leaders

● Graphic Design and Visual Content: Design layouts for print and digital materials including advertisements, flyers, brochures, event signage, and promotional materials. Create social media graphics and visual assets to support campaigns and events. Assist with PowerPoint slide design and visual storytelling for presentations, board meetings, and public forums. Support development of branded templates and design elements for recurring use. Prepare files for print and digital distribution

● Marketing and Communications Support: Collaborate with marketing and communications staff on visual needs for newsletters, event promotions, and campaigns. Assist with photo selection and basic image editing for use in marketing materials. Ensure consistency with UCP branding across all materials

● Event and Community Engagement Support: Provide design support for Signature Events and Strategic Events including UCity Lights, Annual Meeting, Kids Fest, and community forums. Assist with on site event needs as required, including setup and breakdown support. Support public outreach and engagement activities as assigned.

● Office Management and Support: Support daily office operations, note-taking, archiving, cleaning, and organizing, etc.

● Community Engagement: Maintain records of new community contacts and their interests, physical outreach to local businesses and community events

● Other Duties as Assigned: Depending on the intern term and goals, University City Partners may also require assistance in planning and executing the following: art and gallery events, neighborhood farmers’ markets, annual meetings, and events to strengthen neighborhood safety and security. Evenings and weekends for specific events may be required.

Qualifications:

●Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign
• Basic familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite
• Basic familiarity with Microsoft Office and Google Suite
• Basic familiarity with Microsoft PowerPoint
• Strong attention to detail and visual consistency
• Ability to manage multiple design requests and deadlines
• Strong communication skills and ability to receive feedback
• Reliable transportation

Preferred:

Experience with social media design
• Basic photo editing skills
• Familiarity with nonprofit or community based organizations

Interested students can email (business@universitycitypartners.org) University City Partners with the subject line “UCP Internship Inquiry” Please include a resume, your major, and why you are seeking this position.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The listed duties may be changed at the discretion of the incumbent’s manager/supervisor.