The St. Cloud State University Career Center has launched a new program to award $1,200 stipends to select SCSU students working in unpaid internships this semester.
The project, in partnership with SCSU’s offices of Financial Aid and Advancement & Alumni Engagement, seeks to support students who chose to do internships in local nonprofit organizations and other worthy businesses that might not have the ability to pay their interns.
The Career Center received 37 applications from a wide array of majors. Seven students were awarded the Unpaid Internship Stipend, coming from programs like mechanical engineering, elementary education, community health, social work, political science, psychology and biomedical science.
“We are very fortunate to be able to put into action a long-held desire to support these students,” said Hailey Olson, executive director of the Career Center. “We found that there were more worthy students who needed this support that we could fund in one cycle. Narrowing it down to only seven students was difficult work.”
SCSU students are working at internships doing event planning at the YMCA, advocacy at the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center, improving children’s mental health at the Ellison Center, and working as a political intern at the Seeds of Success. They are also helping families and children at the Greater Minnesota Family Center and the Central Minnesota Child Advocacy Center.
Another student is interning for the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association, with career ambitions to conduct data and biomechanical analyses for divers and other athletes.
“I’m excited to see the good that will come from this small investment in SCSU students,” Olson said. “Our students are making a big impact in Central Minnesota, the state and beyond. These internships are critical links to the students’ career objectives, and this stipend lessens their burden.”
To learn more about the stipend or contribute to next year’s Unpaid Internship Stipend award, contact Olson at 320-308-2151 or [email protected].
Student Awardees
Christen Mayberry – Mechanical Engineering, U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association
Kendall Gonzalez – Community Health, YMCA
Jaicee Krings – Social Work, Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center
Kaitlyn Mathies – Elementary Education, Greater Minnesota Family Center
Tori Voigt – Social Work, Central Minnesota Child Advocacy Center
Christopher Richter – Political Science, Seeds of Success
Nimo Abdi – Psychology/Biomedical Science, Ellison Center
