Boston University’s Center for Career Development released applications Monday for sophomore and junior students to apply for the Yawkey Nonprofit Internship Program, which provides students with a living allowance stipend in exchange for their participation in unpaid internships at various local nonprofit organizations.
The non-profit internship program will help provide to students the necessary real world skills for their futures, said CCD Director Kimberly Delgizzo.
“This is a really strong educational experience for students,” she said. “There are parts of this program that help students to begin a process of career development, and that will help them to make great decisions about what they do at BU in preparation for the future.”
Through a $10 million endowment from Yawkey Foundations, the internship program was established to allow 100 students, or “Yawkey Interns,” to intern with local nonprofit organizations beginning in 2016, The Daily Free Press reported Sept. 19, 2014. BU had planned to reach out to Boston nonprofits and students in the fall of 2015 to advertise the program. With the program’s earlier launch, a small number of students will be able to participate as early as summer 2015, said Eleanor Cartelli, associate director of marketing and communications for the CCD.
Anne Fortune, special project program manager at Yawkey Foundations, said she is glad to see the successful launch of the program.
“Our trustees are very happy to see the program launched, and we hope that we can really help students as well as help the non-profits in the greater Boston and Massachusetts area which will have Boston University students as interns,” she said. “This is the first time we have made a grant like this, but we have every confidence that Boston University will do a great job managing the program.”
Delgizzo said the program will “level the playing field” and help with financial constraints have the opportunity to pursue internships in the nonprofit sector.
“In addition to providing funding to students for unpaid internships in the nonprofit sector, it also allows students to actively engage in self-discovery and career exploration which we believe will help students to make informed decisions about positions they might pursue after graduating,” she said.
To help spread the word about the nonprofit internship program, Delgizzo said the CCD plans to promote it through multiple platforms and by word of mouth.
“We will continue to market the program in our weekly newsletters,” she said. “The information is on our website, we’re marketing it through social media, we’ll be communicating with faculty and staff on campus to help us spread the word and we are also relying to some extent on word of mouth.”
Several students said they were not aware of the nonprofit internships, but are looking forward to seeing the benefits offered.
Ruben Quinteros, a freshman in the College of Communication, said internships are essential for students who want to get real-world working experience.
“Internships are important, not just at BU, but in general because they show you what it’s like to actually work … And [they give] you experience and [help] you build your resume,” he said.
Georgia Hutchins, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said internships emphasize hands on learning, which is useful to explore potential career paths.
“Internships are good for students because they allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the real world,” she said. “They are also a great way to explore different fields that you are interested in, before graduating, so you have a better idea as to what you want to pursue for a job post grad.”
Krystal Ramsamooj, a sophomore in CAS, said internships can provide work experience and help set students apart from their peers.
“Many recent graduates lack real world experience in their fields,” she said. “Those that seek internships have an advantage over the less experienced graduates and can learn a great deal about real-world applications of what they learn in the classroom.”
