Summer 2010

Purpose: Carleton College gratefully acknowledges its establishment of The Initiative for Service Internships in International Development. The Initiative was established in 2003 with a gift from Stephen R. West '53 and his wife Phyllis M. West in honor of the members of the Class of 1953 at its Fiftieth Reunion. Read more about the internship in the Inside Carleton article.

This initiative awards grants to support internships for Carleton students who perform volunteer service through already established programs in the areas of international community development, including credit and business cooperatives, public wellness and treatment, literacy and education, and other public services in developing countries. The internships will provide Carleton students with valuable experiences outside the classroom, which may motivate them to consider careers in international service.

Funding: The grants will cover expenses such as application fees, program fees, transportation to and from the site, lodging and meals during the internships for a total grant not to exceed $5,000. A stipend to cover partial lost wages from a summer job ($2,000 maximum) may be available for students on need-based financial aid.  Together, internship costs plus lost summer wages cannot exceed the $5000 limit.

Eligibility:

• Grants are intended for students to fund internships during summer break. The internship duration must be a minimum of five weeks.
• Seniors are not eligible.
• Non-senior students in any discipline are eligible.
• All applicants must be in good academic standing.
• Recipients will not receive academic credit nor conduct research.

Selection Criteria: Grants will be competitively awarded based on a review of all application materials.  Award recipients will be determined by a selection committee of faculty and former award recipients. 

Application Process: Handbooks are available in the Career Center (Sayles-Hill 050) or in the "tunnel" document library. Students must first apply (in the fall or winter term) to the organizations sponsoring the service internship. This process needs to start early since these programs can fill up, have long lead times, or an extensive application process. Once a student is accepted into an internship which meets the criteria above, applicants should submit one copy of their proposal through the "tunnel."  (Application information will appear in the "tunnel" as a job, listed under Carleton Career Center as the employer and Initiative for Service Application as the position title.)  A proposal includes the following:

• A cover letter which includes:
  • Your name and major (or intended major)
  • Name of internship organization to which you are applying
  • Name of country (See Special Note about qualifying countries)
  • Paragraph (no more than 100 words) describing the internship.
  • Name of your faculty recommender
  • Brief statement (no more than 500 words) exploring your qualifications for undertaking this work and the relationship of the internship to your future goals. Include a description of previous experience abroad (if any)
• Resume
• A copy of the Confirmation Letter from the Organization
• Unofficial transcript (Request electronic copy through the HUB)
• Budget Worksheet (Form can be downloaded from Document Library in the "tunnel")
• "Bring Back" Internship Form (Form can be downloaded from Document Library in the "tunnel")

Submit the application packet through the "tunnel" by 5:30 PM on January 29, 2010. **Remember, the required documents must be uploaded in the document area of your "tunnel" account before you will be able to apply.  Please contact the Career Center at x4293 with any questions.

2006 Photo Gallery