Carleton provides support for students to take on internship experiences throughout their college years. In the Career Center, we have cultivated strong relationships with employers, including through our parent and alumni connections. These connections recognize the exceptional skills and talents of Carls and often provide internal referrals to hiring officials. Once a student secures a position, they can work with the Career Center to address any challenges they may face, including providing funding to address financial hardship or guidance on navigating formal work environments for those who have not yet held a formal opportunity.
In Summer 2020, Carleton awarded nearly $400,000 to support the internship experiences of 135 students. These funds were used to support the travel and accommodations for students who undertook an unpaid (or under-paying) internship. Despite the ongoing pandemic, students pursued opportunities in both virtual (43 percent), hybrid (36 percent), and in-person (16 percent) settings. Carleton’s Global Edge internship program (which hosts students in experiences abroad) went virtual, providing three students with an opportunity to intern with Cape Town-based organizations.
For Summer 2021, the Career Center will again support student internship experiences with funding and other support, as needed. Funding applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with decisions announced on a monthly basis. Given the extraordinary level of support provided by alumni and parents for current students, we hope to be able to fund all applicants with demonstrated financial need. The application includes a student essay, a résumé, a confirmation from the internship host, a budget outlining anticipated expenses, and an unofficial transcript. Students are asked to explain why their internship experience is meaningful to them and what skills they hope to learn that will help them in their future endeavors. Students can seek out support for the application from career coaches and student career assistants as they complete the application process.
While we don’t know for sure what summer 2021 will look like, we do know that we will continue to help students secure meaningful summer experiences.