Career services is a great place to start when searching for an internship, but this year, they can do more than help find students internships — they can help pay for them, too.
The 2014 Hillsdale Internship Assistance Program launching this spring will help offset the costs of living while allowing interns to gain job experience. There is $20,000 waiting to be snatched up in $1,000 to $1,500 grants by students who need financial help while taking on a summer internship that is unpaid or lowpaid.
According to Forbes, large companies offered 69 percent of their interns fulltime positions after graduating and 39 percent of small companies made job offers to their interns. While internships are a promising way for students to find jobs, Forbes pointed out that only a third of all internships are paid.
With a small chance of compensation, students are left trying to figure out how to make ends meet when considering internships.
“Students who have secured internships can apply for the reimbursement program,” said Keith Miller, assistant director of career services. “If you feel like you will lose money over the summer just to be successful, you’re a good candidate.”
Other liberal arts schools have similar programs, and career services wishes to compete with these schools. The administration approved this pilot program and will look into how to fund the
program in the future, if it is successful. If the demand is great enough, career services might expand the program with a larger budget.
Miller and Executive Director of career services Michael Murray started discussing the idea about a year ago. They have worked hard with the business office to make the application process as easy as possible.
Students wishing to apply must be freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in good standing at the college and must have an internship of at least six 20hour weeks secured. The first application deadline will be March 28 at 5 p.m. with a secondchance deadline on April 25 at 5 p.m. Students will be selected by representatives of career services and the student affairs office. Selection will be based on the quality of the internship, rationale for pursuing the internship, recommendations, interviews, and a few other criteria.
“I would encourage students even with low GPAs to apply as well,” Miller said. “It will not be a deciding factor. Often times, students with low GPAs benefit most from internships. We don’t want to exclude anyone. We want this to be open to students going in all directions in all majors and fields.”
Applications will be available in career services next week.
