Getting Paid for an Unpaid Internship
by Xiaolu Xu '12Features Writer
February 04, 2010
Over the summer, Evin Adolph '10 was able to secure her dream internship with the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine through a Hamilton alumnus. Because of the program's budget, however, the company she wanted to work for was not able to offer her a paid position. She applied for summer internship funding from the Career Center and received a $2,500 stipend. Reflecting on her summer experience, Evin acknowledges that without the supplementary funding, she wouldn't have been able to pursue this internship.
Every Spring Hamilton students scramble to plan a meaningful and productive summer. Considering the current economy, more students than ever will likely find themselves in a situation similar to Evin's. Students often sacrifice more appealing or career-related internship or research opportunities to work a paid summer part-time job. But did you know that Hamilton offers generous support to students to overcome this kind financial dilemma? Every year Hamilton funds a significant number of summer positions for students.
On Jan. 27, the Diversity and Social Justice Project held a panel of student presentations on summer internships. Six students, representing seven types of Hamilton summer funding, talked about the details of their experiences last summer. Currently, a variety of summer funding opportunities are devoted to social work, social science research, science research, creative projects, clinical internships and unpaid internships. The aid ranges from $2,500 to $4,000 per recipient, which is almost equivalent to what a normal summer job pays.
A couple of representatives have described their summer research and internships as some of the most compelling and fulfilling experiences they have ever had. As Robyn Gibson '10 points out, "Research is a skill. It is an extremely good opportunity for me to conduct the Africana study research under the Kirkland Endowment because Professor Nieves was able to help closely to develop the skill of research with me." Valerie Valant '10, a pre-med senior, said that the clinical internship in Burke Rehabilitation Center taught her patience as a medical worker.
Though the competition of applications is always fierce, Prof. Nancy Rabinowitz, who is in charge of the Kirkland Endowment, encouraged students to inquire further about funding. She said those in charge are usually happy to help. The requirements vary according to the funding one applies for, and a good proposal is critical for securing the funds for research.
Doing research beforehand and talking with academic advisors you plan to collaborate with will definitely narrow down potential topics, as well as assist you in writing a good proposal. The success of obtaining Career Center funding largely depends on the effort the student himself is willing to put in ahead of time.