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Macalester Summer Internship Grant

Macalester Summer Internship Grant

Program Overview

Summer internships offer robust learning and work opportunities that help students advance their academic interests and careers. Unfortunately, worthwhile internships may not be compensated, rendering them inaccessible for many students. To help address this barrier, Macalester College provides grants for students to complete 10-week unpaid internships during the summer term that help defray living costs for the duration of the internship.

Notably, students do not need to have a confirmed internship at the time of the application deadline. The Career Exploration department provides coaching and support during the spring semester to help students secure internships. This approach helps students avoid anxiety and/or pressure around accepting unpaid internships before knowing if they have access to funding.

We offer two grant levels:

  • $6,437.50 for full-time internships (36-40 hours per week for 10 weeks)
  • $3,218.75 for half-time internships (18-20 hours per week for 10 weeks) – maximum stipend available for remote internships

The number of students initially selected into the cohort assumes that all students intend to complete full-time internships, unless a student indicates on their application that they wish to apply specifically for the half-time grant. However, should a student wish to reduce their full-time stipend to pursue a half-time internship position and/or remote position, the leftover funds will be offered to another student on the waitlist.

The information packet containing all program details, including application instructions, is available here. The application for Summer 2025 will open when classes begin on January 23rd.

Program Details for Summer 2025

  • Student Eligibility

      • Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are currently enrolled and who will return to Macalester (either on-campus or through a Study Away program) for the 2025-2026 academic year

      • Committed to working full-time (36-40 hours) or half-time (18-20 hours) at an organization for 10 weeks between May 13th and August 22nd, 2025

      • Good standing with the college (academic and conduct)

      • Has not/will not receive an additional substantial award from Macalester (e.g. students cannot receive the MSIG award AND a scholarship/grant from an academic department)

      • Has not been awarded MSIG funds in past years

      • Must have an internship offer in hand by May 2nd, 2025

      • If accepting the full-time stipend, cannot work in additional paid positions at Macalester
  • Internship Site Eligibility

    Internships should primarily be with non-profits, NGOs, small start-up companies, and government entities. All internship sites must be able to demonstrate the capacity to provide a stable, well-supervised, quality learning experience for the student. They must also commit to providing Macalester with comprehensive feedback regarding the work of the student and compliance with Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines (U.S. sites only). International internships that do not take place in the student’s home country must be cleared by the Study Away office in late spring, and generally may not be in countries that appear on the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4 list.

    Internship sites that may not qualify:

      • Any internship that is paid (an hourly rate). Internships receiving small stipends (e.g. housing or living stipends) may still be considered for funding.

      • Laboratory-based research in academic settings (Macalester provides support for this kind of research through the Olin Rice Hub) We may consider research in non-academic settings and in a broader range of disciplines. This might include research in social sciences, government, or health. If in doubt, we encourage you to ask.

      • Internships with organizations owned or operated by immediate family members.

      • Internships involved with direct proselytizing for religious work or for a political campaign.

      • Corporate and private sector internships. Exceptions have been made in fields that historically do not pay interns, including media, entertainment, etc. If in doubt, ask.

      • This grant cannot be used to pay for a program or program fees.
  • Industry-Specific Grants

    Nested within the MSIG program are two additional sources of funding. The Taylor Public Health Fellowship awards grants to students who complete internships within the public health sector. The Amy Ostermeier Human Rights Education Fund awards grants to students who complete internships in the area of human rights. The Harp-Pollack Psychology Department Fellowship offers an opportunity for one student to participate in a psychology summer internship.

    Students who are interested in applying for these specific funding sources will complete the standard MSIG application. There will be an area in the application where students can indicate if they’d also like to be considered for the awards above along with a short answer prompt specific to these disciplines. Preference will be given to students who have already secured internships due to the nature of the review process in collaboration with the corresponding departmental partners of each award. Additional eligibility criteria can be found in the application.

    The stipend from these funds is equal to the stipend from the Macalester Summer Internship Grant; it is NOT an additional payment.
  • Requirements and Expectations for Funded Students

      • Attend three pre-summer cohort meetings during the spring semester (individual appointments will be available for students studying away)

      • Complete all internship paperwork and register the summer internship for one credit ideally by May 2nd, 2025 (tuition cost will be waived)

      • Participate in the full 10 weeks of the MSIG program

      • Complete career-focused assignments

      • Maintain contact with the Faculty Sponsor and submit all registered internship paperwork on time

      • Produce a poster summarizing the internship at the end of the term

      • Participating in the Summer Showcase in Fall 2025 during MacFest weekend (may participate digitally if studying away in Fall 2025)
  • Application Process Overview

    The application will be open from January 23rd to February 24th, 2025 at 5:00 pm CST. Students are encouraged to apply without having a confirmed internship, although students with internship offers already in hand may apply as well! In addition to selecting awardees, the selection committee will also select a waitlist of students who may be offered the grant during the spring semester should funds become available.

    In March and April, students selected to receive the award will engage in cohort-based programming to help them secure an internship for the summer, build community within the cohort, and develop career-based skills and competencies. Students need to have an internship secured by Friday, May 2nd, 2025. If a student rescinds the award offer either at the beginning of the program or during the spring semester, another student from the waitlist will be offered the award.
  • Selection Criteria

    We review applications in a holistic manner. One of the principal objectives of this program is to increase student access to internships and to positively impact as many students as possible. Thus, in addition to the overall merit score the application receives as outlined by the scoring rubric, applications from students who fall under one or more of the following categories will be prioritized in the review process:

      • Students with demonstrated financial need

      • Rising juniors and seniors who have not yet had internship experiences

      • Students who have not yet received funding for a summer internship, research, or fellowship experience in past years

      • Students in majors who do not have internships already built into the curriculum

      • Students intending to pursue internships at organizations where they have not already worked

    You can view the application grading rubric at this link.