Position Description
Oral History Intern
Mission of the Organization
Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) promotes Change, not charity™, by funding
and encouraging activism among community-based organizations in underserved areas
of Southwestern Pennsylvania. We support groups challenging attitudes, policies, or
institutions as they work to promote social, economic, or racial justice.
The Foundation’s action areas include: Disability Rights; Economic Justice; the
Environment; Racial Justice; Women, Youth, and Families; and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
and Transgender Issues. In addition to making grants in these action areas, TRCF funds a
Media Justice Initiative, as well as making small Special Opportunity Grants of up to $500
throughout the year for unanticipated opportunities that may arise, for which
organizations did not budget.
Over the past 20 years, TRCF has distributed over $900,000 to more than 250 progressive
groups in the region. With a focus of making grants to smaller organizations doing
innovative work to address divisions in society, TRCF actively seeks out those working on
the ground floor of change.
Purpose of the Oral History Internship
In order to ensure accurate representation of the history and development of the Three
Rivers Community Foundation, and to remain faithful to the founding purposes of the
organization, the staff and board are planning to conduct an Oral History Project. This
project will:
1. Honor the founders, first board members, early movers, and major
influencers/donors of the Three Rivers Community Foundation.
2. Reconstruct the history of the Foundation from its inception in 1989to the present
day.
3. Ascertain and confirm the particular objectives and interests of each of TRCF’s
founders.
4. Help the Foundation to establish a separate Founders Fund, from which grants will
be made to organizations and purposes that align with the original intent of the
founders.
Responsibilities
The Oral History Intern will assist staff, board/committee members, and assigned
volunteers in developing the list of individuals to be interviewed and filmed; contact
these individuals to secure their participation; schedule interview times and locations;
help to develop the scripts and participant releases for the interviews; and work in
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concert with the assigned TRCF Board member overseeing this project, and her
graduate student volunteers, in ensuring the timely and successful recording of all oral
histories to be taken.
Methods
Approximately 25 oral histories will be taken over a period of 8-10 months. Oral History
participants will be interviewed twice – once to brief them on the methods of the oral
history recording and to gather general information for subsequent development of the
script, and the second time for the actual recorded interview.
The recorded interview will take 75-90 minutes. The footage will later be edited to fit the
appropriate format and duration.
Two copies of each interview will be placed on c.d.s for permanent archiving at the
TRCF headquarters and the University of Pittsburgh.
Recording Facilities
Facilities may include: The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Western
Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Personnel
Oral histories will be taken by graduate students in the Department of Sociology of the
University of Pittsburgh and the Oral History Intern.
Kathy Blee, TRCF Board member, and member of the Building Social Change
Committee will oversee the process.
Qualifications
The Oral History Intern must share the TRCF commitment to social justice and social
change. The ideal candidate will have a professional bearing and enthusiasm for public
service. He/she will have strong interpersonal skills, a friendly and outgoing nature, tact,
and good judgment. Some understanding of video and audio recording methods is
desirable. Sound time management abilities and organization skills are required. The
Intern should be able to devote a sufficient number of hours weekly to the position.
Reporting
The Executive Director and Dr. Blee of the University of Pittsburgh - School of Sociology
will provide supervision and resources to the Oral History Intern. The Executive Director
has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Supervision and 12 years experience supervising
volunteers, and interns at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Blee has
extensive experience in student advisement and supervision and project management.
Interface
The Oral History Intern will collaborate with Dr. Kathy Blee, and as necessary, other
members of the TRCF Building Social Change Committee.
Applications
To apply for this internship please submit your cover letter and resume to the Intern
Coordinator at trcfcoordinator@gmail.com.
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