Internships

Fallingwater offers summer internship opportunities for college and graduate students interested in careers related to the site’s many departments.

Each year, interns complete hands-on projects relevant to their area of specialization while working closely with supervisors, colleagues and volunteers in their host department. Fallingwater strongly encourages applications from students who are members of groups underrepresented in careers related to its mission.

Meet the 2023 Fallingwater Interns

Daniel Rothermel

Cedarville University

2023 Fawcett Digital Multimedia Intern

I have gained a new perspective on the current and historical impact of Fallingwater. This summer has been a good chance to learn more about effective communications strategies.

Daniel assisted with video elements for the upcoming launch of the new Fallingwater YouTube channel, created a social media campaign for @VisitFallingwater, and conducted marketing research for the Fallingwater Institute. Working as the multimedia intern at Fallingwater has given him a chance to grow in his professional and personal skills. When he’s not working on a new design, Daniel enjoys backpacking, soccer, running and writing music.

Elizabeth “Emmie” Voss

Jefferson University

2023 Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation Landscape Intern

Removing the large 20’ burning bush was a cathartic experience. Working on invasive removal has been a majority of our work this summer and has opened my eyes to the importance of maintenance and upkeep even after a site is considered ‘done’.

Over the summer, Emmie and her fellow landscape intern, Grazelle Giray, designed a new planting for the rock face adjacent to Fallingwater and undertook various forest restoration projects. Emmie has learned a lot from longtime landscape intern advisor, George Longenecker, about native plant identification as well as invasive plants found at Fallingwater. When she’s not designing a new landscape, Emmie enjoys reading, hiking and being an active member of her campus American Sign Language Club.

Grazelle Giray

University of Maryland

2023 Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation Landscape Intern

Maintaining the site on a daily basis taught me the do’s and don’ts of planting design for future projects. Everyone here has been very helpful and it’s a different experience for me compared to where I grew up.

Grazelle helps with planting and invasive removal at the community learning garden at UMD during the school year, but working at Fallingwater has given her a new appreciation for the multifaceted nature of site-specific plant design. She and fellow intern, Emmie Voss, designed a new installation for the rock wall adjacent to Fallingwater and undertook various forest restoration projects. This is the first project that she has implemented a plant design from plan to soil. She was also excited to have the opportunity this summer to use all the things that she learned so far. In her downtime, Grazelle enjoys working out, listening to music, thrifting, hiking and taking care of her new tadpole.

Learn About Fallingwater Internships

Fawcett Digital Multimedia Internship

Communications interns work to support the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s communications department in the area of digital communications for Fallingwater’s website, social media channels and other digital platforms.

Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation Landscape Internship

Landscape interns are exposed to a variety of native species of plant life and natural landscape situations on the 5,100-acre Bear Run Nature Reserve, in which Fallingwater is located. In addition, interns gain hands-on learning by designing project schemes and implementing improvements to Fallingwater’s woodland garden landscape.