Auburn highlights NextUp interns’ work as two complete eight-week placements

On the City of Auburn podcast, Communications Manager Jonathan Glover and co-host Chester spoke with two NextUp Auburn interns near the end of their eight-week placements about what they accomplished and what comes next. Von Nguyen, the arts intern, and Taylor Frey, the outreach intern in human services, described daily tasks, a range of public programming they supported and plans to pursue further education or employment after the internship.

The interns said the hands-on experience was central. Von described producing social media and illustrative work tied to events and the Postmark Center for the Arts, saying she was able to “use my… social media” and art skills in ways that tied directly to the city’s cultural programming. Frey called housing work the most meaningful part of her placement: “The day we get to put people in housing, that’s always really fun.”

Why it matters: NextUp Auburn is a local workforce and civic-engagement program that places students in city departments for short-term, on-the-job training. The interns’ accounts show city communications, arts and human services staff using internships both for program support and for recruiting people who might later work in local government or nonprofit sectors.

What they did: Von worked primarily at the Postmark Center for the Arts and the Auburn Community Center on social media, illustration and outreach tied to city arts programming; she said the Postmark’s class offerings are not yet running and are expected to begin in fall. Frey worked with Human Services outreach, participating in encampment outreach, client case work and housing search and placement logistics.

Logistics and next steps: Both interns said they are applying for jobs. Von said she is exploring graduate programs (she noted her international- student visa will expire in February) and that the placement clarified her interest in working in museums or galleries rather than only as a studio artist. Frey said she plans to remain in the field and is “hoping” to continue outreach work after the internship.

Program details: The interns reported an eight-week placement window, recurring weekly “break to educate” sessions with department leaders, and final presentations to wrap up their projects. During the podcast they also noted cross-department collaboration and social opportunities, advice for future interns and examples of small, staff-led projects they completed.

Voices: “Be open minded and socialize with anyone even if they’re not in your department,” Chester advised the interns. Von and Taylor both encouraged future interns to use the placement to network and try new tasks.

What the city did not state: The podcast did not announce a formal change to the internship program, specific future hiring commitments or any budget figures tied to NextUp Auburn. Program-start year and total historical headcount were mentioned informally during trivia on the episode but were not presented as city policy details beyond the current cohort’s activities.

Ending: The interns said they will finish final presentations and continue applying for jobs; the city communications team encouraged listeners to follow NextUp Auburn social channels to see final projects and upcoming Postmark programming.