Why are internships important?
Internships are a good introduction to the career you may be interested in pursuing and can support your career goals by allowing you to gain applicable industry experience. Students can also leverage their internship experiences as they build their professional networks and find mentors. An internship can sometimes even turn into a full-time job within the organization.
Kelsey and Emily, two student affairs graduate students who are currently completing internships at the Fleishman Center, pointed out the benefits of interning prior to seeking employment.
“I hope to work in student affairs, particularly student activities, after I graduate with my Master’s this Spring, and being able to participate in internship opportunities has given me new insight and experiences related to my field,” Kelsey said. “I have been able to take what I learned in the classroom and put it into action through the work I got to do in my internship, which has allowed me to build on my leadership, communication, and teamwork abilities.” Kelsey also noted that her internship experiences throughout college have allowed her to learn more about the student affairs field and what other areas she might be interested in pursuing.
Emily also emphasized the importance of interning and how her personal internship experiences helped her discover her career interests in student affairs.
“Career counseling has been an aspect of student affairs that I have always wanted to explore, but was not able to up until my internship,” she said. “I was able to secure this internship in Fleishman for course credit, helping me achieve all my goals I set for graduate school.” Emily has been able to gain experience working one-on-one with students, a crucial skill area for student affairs professionals, and also gained transferable skills that are applicable to any position.
Where to find funding opportunities for internships?
Too often, students face financial barriers that prevent them from being able to participate in an internship.The Fleishman Center recognizes this issue and, through support from donors and partners, has been able to designate funding for students facing financial need while interning.
Students who were awarded internship funding last year spoke about how many doors internship funds were able to open for them. A student mentioned, “My financial situation is often a source of stress in my life and your support has provided me with the security I needed to pursue this amazing opportunity.” Another student pointed out that this internship allowed him to gain experience in his field early on, and stated, “I am ahead of my peers and stand out when I want to apply to more opportunities in the future.”
The Fleishman Center offers a number of internship funds for both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing both paid and unpaid internships. The two internship funds that we are currently accepting applications for are the Student Affairs Internship Funds and the Fleishman Career Success Initiative. In addition, on March 1, 2022, there will be three other internship funding opportunities you can apply for with applications opening later in the semester: Vogt Family Summer Internship, Michael and Audra Mallow Internship Endowment, and the Caretta Internship for English Majors, the latter two being specific to certain majors or internship areas.
The Student Affairs Internship Fund
Through the Internship Fund, several undergraduate and graduate students will receive $1000 to $5,000 to defray the cost of pursuing an unpaid internship. In the summer of 2019, over 40 students were awarded funds through the Student Affairs Internship Fund.
The Fleishman Career Success Initiative
Established in 2021, this fund was developed to support students that face the most barriers of participating in summer internships. This fund is only available for a limited pre-determined student list. Multiple students may be rewarded $2000 to $5,000 based on their financial needs and whether the internship is paid or unpaid.
To check out the other internship funding opportunities that we have available and to apply please check out our Internship Funds page.
