New Scholarship Helps Students in Low-Paying or Unpaid Internships

A new scholarship is being offered to College of Arts & Letters majors who are participating in independent internships. Funded by the Excel Network, the College of Arts & Letters Independent Internship Scholarship is designed to help students who are doing unpaid or low-paying internships.

The scholarship aims to alleviate the financial burden that low-paying or unpaid internships can bring in an effort to encourage students to pursue those opportunities. The minimum award amount is $500.

“In an effort to support students in their ability to complete these necessary and critical experiences, we want to provide assistance where we can.”

Maggie Harris, Internship Coordinator for the Excel Network

“We recognize that employers want to pay their interns, but many nonprofits and government entities are limited in the funds that they have available to support interns,” said Maggie Harris, Internship Coordinator for the Excel Network. “In an effort to support students in their ability to complete these necessary and critical experiences, we want to provide assistance where we can.”

The scholarship was first offered this fall and was awarded to three students: Alexandra Martin, a senior Humanities-Prelaw major, Kylie Schmitt, a junior Humanities-Prelaw and Comparative Cultures and Politics double major, and Elias Young, a junior Japanese major.

The scholarship will be awarded three times per year: in February, June, and October. Any College of Arts & Letters major who is completing an independent internship that is either in-person or hybrid can apply. However, this is not for students who are completing remote-only internships. Preference is given to unpaid candidates in good academic standing, but any College of Arts & Letters student participating in a low-paying, non-credit or credit-bearing internship within the United States is welcome to apply.

The next application deadline for the scholarship is Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. To apply or for more information, see the CAL Independent Internship Scholarship Application.