Internship Program

Why an Internship?

Participating in an internship is essentially experiential education at its finest. Not only is this an opportunity to gain real-life skills in your major or an area of interest, but you can also "test-drive" a possible career path, connect with professionals in the field, and try things that aren't necessarily offered at Wilson. Furthermore, according to a recent recruiting survey done by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, 95% of employers ranked students having internship experience as one of their top hiring decisions....that's kind of a big deal!

******WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO TO BRIEFLY WALK YOU THROUGH IMPORTANT INFO ON THIS PAGE******

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS:

The STUDENT must: Be a full-time student with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. They must also be in good standing with all areas of the College (academics, work, service, conduct). We advise that a student is a rising junior or senior.
The INTERNSHIP must: Be at least 6 weeks & 80-150 hours (this requirement currently differs depending upon the catalog year of the student, the major's requriement, & engagement in the Work Program). The internship must be with an established business, organization, or agency and have one dedicated intern supervisor who is not a friend or family member. The internship can be a pre-established internship position, created from a part-time job, or built as a unique experience between the student & organization. Read more about options for finding and establishing internship positions.

**Are you an INTERNATIONAL STUDENT? If so, you must apply for a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) before you apply for an internship. To begin this process, please read this information

Internship Process

1.) CREATE A PLAN: Begin by familiarizing yourself with the Internship Handbook for Students. This includes information about requirements, internship options, crediting, processes, etc. You can also fill out this worksheet to help think through some of your ideas and parameters before setting up a meeting with your advisor or the Director of Internships to talk about your plans. You may find it additionally helpful to meet with one of our support crews such the academic support crew or a peer career coach.

2.) SEARCH: Here are some ideas and links to get started on your search. Ideally, this should be done about 4-6 months in advance of a start date.

3.) PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION: Check out the resources on myWWC for resume, cover letter, & interview prep.

4.) ACCEPT/REJECT YOUR INTERNSHIP OFFER

5.) CREATE YOUR LEARNING GOALS & HANDSHAKE EXPERIENCE - This MUST be completed and signed by all advisors before your internship begins. Paperwork received after the internship has begun will NOT be accepted and the student will need to instead fill out the Internship Petition for Exception. Deadlines for paperwork are August 15th (Fall internships), January 10th (Spring internships), & June 1st (Summer internships).

Financial Assistance & Housing

SCHOLARSHIPS - These are external scholarship opportunities that may pertain to your field.

ACADEMIC YEAR STIPENDS - The goal of the Academic Year Internship Stipend program is to offset costs associated primarily with transportation and materials for a student’s internship during the fall or spring semesters. Application deadlines are September 15th & February 15th. Please read the linked information before filling out your application!

SUMMER STIPENDS - Summer stipends are prioritized for students participating in unpaid or underfunded internships, primarily in the non-profit or governmental sector. Applications are due March 1st and April 1st. Please read the linked information before filling out your application! *Are you an art/craft student?...you can talk to your dept about Windgate Foundation supported Scholarships.

SUMMER CAMPUS HOUSING - If a student is interested in receiving summer housing on campus, it's imperative that they fill out the Summer Housing Application form as soon as possible (usually sent out March/April). Campus housing is prioritized depending upon the number of beds available and the level of the student's engagement with the college; either through an on-campus summer job and/or an approved internship*. Students with higher levels of weekly work/internship engagement will receive higher priority on the housing list. Every intern is required to pay a reduced housing fee, which is determined by the Campus Housing staff. Currently this is $455 for 13 weeks. Students who are participating in an internship must have the internship paperwork completed by May 1st in order to prove their status as an intern. As a reminder, on-campus housing is limited and not guaranteed.

*If a student plans to use an internship as part of their summer engagement for housing, they must connect with Hannah Richardson, Director of Internships & Employer Engagement, as soon as possible, as well as complete all required internship paperwork before May 1st. Summer interns will be expected to complete check-ins with this Hannah on a regular basis during the summer months.