PDO PLACEMENTS

Fall 2025

Digital Studio

3/4 positions available

Office Overview

The NYU Florence Digital Studio (FDS) serves as a campuswide hub for multimedia production, from social media to digital exhibitions. The FDS supports the innovative and considered use of technology for teaching and learning, providing a wide range of consultation and training services for faculty and staff.

Project Description

The FDS provides consultation, training, and tools for multimedia capture, production, and online publication (audio, video, images); video equipment operation and maintenance; instructional design and technology. The FDS also coordinates digital communications for NYU Florence, including social media channels, websites, online exhibitions, and other special projects.

Goals to Achieve

• Enhance multimedia production skills through hands-on projects.

• Collaborate on creating promotional and instructional materials.

• Support the development of NYU Florence's digital presence.

List of Possible Tasks and Duties

• Use professional media production software such as Adobe Creative Cloud (Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Develop graphic design projects and online exhibitions.

• Participate in the creation and publication of social media content for NYU Florence.

• Coordinate Florence Underground, the NYU Florence radio project (scheduling broadcasts, recruiting DJs, technical support).

• Support the printing and scanning facilities for Tisch photography courses.

• Manage the distribution and collection of multimedia equipment borrowed by students, staff, and faculty.

Professional Development Highlights

• Gain expertise in digital media production and project management.

• Develop technical skills with industry-standard tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Build a portfolio of work in social media, graphic design, and multimedia content creation.

• Strengthen teamwork and communication through interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Work closely with PDO placements in other NYU Florence offices, serving as liaisons for social media content and developing team-building, collaboration, and project management skills.

Office of Student Life

1/2 positions available

Office Overview

The Office of Student Life (OSL) fosters a vibrant campus culture by promoting student engagement, personal development, and well-being. Through dynamic programs, trips, and initiatives, OSL creates opportunities for students to connect, thrive, and lead within the NYU Florence community.

Project Description

The OSL focuses on organizing student activities, supporting student-led clubs, on-campus events, and wellness programs. Students will assist in planning, staffing, and promoting campus events, developing activities, and facilitating communication between students and staff. The role also includes supporting during events and student leadership initiatives.

Goals to Achieve

• Contribute to the planning and delivery of engaging student programs.

• Gain experience in program design, event coordination, and campus engagement.

• Develop leadership, communication, digital content creation, and organizational skills.

• Support initiatives that promote student well-being and an inclusive campus environment.

• Increasing students' participation in events, especially talks and conferences

List of Possible Tasks and Duties

• Assist in organizing and coordinating events such as activities, workshops, cultural exchanges, and community-building activities.

• Provide logistical support during on-campus and off-campus events.

• Help design materials for promoting activities and initiatives.

• Facilitate communication between students, staff, and faculty to enhance the student experience.

• Support wellness initiatives and leadership development programs.

• Support in the organization and manage the OSL inventory of different materials and resources for students' activities.

• Coordinate with the Digital Studio for the creation of social media content.

• Promotion of events and activities among students and increasing their participation. Example: keeping track of the participation reward program: Villa Points.

Professional Development Highlights

• Gain practical experience in event management, logistics, and student engagement strategies.

• Build a portfolio of contributions to student resources, leadership and well-being programs.

• Strengthen interpersonal and collaborative skills by working with diverse groups.

• Learn to design and implement programs that enhance campus life and student development.

Villa La Pietra Collection Office

2/3 positions available

Office Overview

Villa La Pietra hosts the Acton Collection, a house museum with over 7,000 works of art, historical photographs, personal belongings, music records, and books, surrounded by celebrated Italian Renaissance-style gardens.

Project Description

Assist with ongoing activities and special projects related to collection management, preventive conservation, and public engagement.

Goals to Achieve

• Learn the history of Villa La Pietra and its collections.

• Learn how to present the collections to the public.

• Learn how to use the Acton Collection database.

• Support the documentation and digitization of the collection.

• Act as a bridge between the museum and the NYU academic community.

List of Possible Tasks and Duties

• Guide visitors on tours of the collections and gardens.

• Use the Collection database for inquiries from students and the general public 

• Assist with digitizing and organizing the photograph archive documentation.

• Contribute to social media and website content for the museum, in collaboration also with the Digital Studio

Professional Development Highlights

• Build expertise in museum and collection management.

• Enhance public speaking and visitor engagement skills.

• Gain hands-on experience in digitization and database management.

The Office of Academic Support

3/4 positions available

Office Overview

The OAS provides services to support student learning at NYU Florence. It manages courses, administers academic policies, provides academic advising, houses the library and the office of community engagement, and offers tutoring for student writing and Italian language acquisition. Students will work alongside staff from a variety of countries and backgrounds, as well as an Italian university intern. While it is not a requirement, students have the opportunity to work in Italian if they choose to. 

Project Description

PDO students in the OAS will work collaboratively as a team to foster a welcoming and enriching learning environment in Villa Ulivi. They will engage with our academic resources in order to communicate opportunities for intellectual and professional growth for NYU Florence students. Students will be invited to organize dynamic and relevant academic student programming and exhibits.

Goals to Achieve

• Contribute to make the Academic Center a dynamic learning environment  

• Encourage students to take full advantage of the small community and personalized attention NYU Florence provides

• Support student learning through creative and interactive activities

List of Possible Tasks and Duties

• Foster cultural exchange by bringing students together to talk about Italian culture and society with Italian peers

• Develop creative ways to connect peers to writing, research and Italian language resources

• Draw on NYU Libraries online resources to select and host a short film series

• Host a weekly informal Writing Circle where students can workshop any kind of writing

• Participate in hands-on activities in the Library such as cataloging new books, relabeling materials, understanding the shelving system for all books and magazines, and monitoring the circulation of materials on loans

• Curate library resources to be creatively displayed in the Library and Villa Ulivi public spaces

• Write features and conduct interviews for online publication 

Professional Development Highlights

• Reinforce research and writing skills

• Strengthen interpersonal competence through collaboration and teamwork

• Build communication and cultural awareness 

• Gain experience in educational program design

• Receive training in the field of library science

• Improve italian language skills

NYU Florence Sustainability

1 position available

Office Overview

The Sustainability Team promotes environmental awareness and eco-friendly practices on campus such as waste management, energy and water saving, organic agriculture, sustainable living, etc.

Project Description

Lead initiatives that encourage sustainable behaviors and educate the NYU Florence community on environmental issues. 

Goals to Achieve

• Promote sustainability on and off-campus.

• Develop educational materials and campaigns.

Professional Development Highlights

• Strengthen research and graphic design skills.

• Build expertise in sustainability and environmental advocacy.

The Garden Office

1 position available

Office Overview

Under the direction of the Horticultural Associate, a team of eight gardeners takes care of the world-famous gardens and agricultural grounds that are Villa La Pietra. The team’s current work includes the routine maintenance of the estate’s formal gardens, restoration of the gardens of Villas Colletta and Sassetti, the annual production of Villa La Pietra’s olive oil and the production of vegetables for the on-site cafeteria but it also includes the provision of learning, research and recreational opportunities for NYU students.

Project Description

Help to increase student involvement in the life of both the gardens and agricultural land by developing didactic materials to help students and visitors understand and appreciate the merits of the site’s No-Dig approach to vegetable production as well as helping to manage the practical opportunities that students are given to gain practical experience in the garden.

Goals to Achieve

• Learn the history of the green estate that is Villa La Pietra.

• Appreciate the green estate’s green credentials.

• Gain hands-on work experience in the garden.

• Develop, with both text and graphics, didactic materials.

• Act as a bridge between the Garden Office and the student body..

List of Possible Tasks and Duties

• Act as the formal link between the Garden Office and students who wish to gain experience in the garden.

• Produce didactic materials relating to No-Dig

• Contribute to social media and website content for the Garden Office.

Professional Development Highlights

• Build expertise in the running of an historic garden that is used as an academic resource.

• Enhance public speaking and visitor engagement skills.

• Strengthen research, comprehension and graphic design skills.

• Build expertise in sustainability and environmental advocacy.