University News
Minority Internship Program Applications Due in March for Summer, Fall 2010 Placements
February 23, 2010
MACOMB, IL - - Applications for Western Illinois University students who are interested in participating in the Summer and Fall 2010 Minority Internship Program (MIP) are due Monday, March 22 in the African American studies (AAS) department office, Morgan Hall 232 on the Macomb campus.
The program, which is funded by a Higher Education Cooperation Act (HECA) grant through the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), is a one semester, paid internship that allows fulltime junior, senior and graduate minority students to combine work and learning experiences. Western is a member of the Five University Consortium, along with Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governor's State University and Northeastern Illinois University.
The program is designed specifically for African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native American and Alaskan Native students who are U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents to improve their understanding of organizational decision-making, policy-making and to empower them through career goal assessment, work experience, the establishment of mentorships, and enhanced networking skills and opportunities.
Students arrange their internship sites with the assistance of their academic advisers and the Career Services Office. Interns must work between 30 and 35 hours per week and attend monthly seminars. Fulltime interns are appointed for one academic term and are paid a monthly stipend. Academic credit for enrolling fulltime in an approved internship credit course is required during the internship semester.
This semester, WIU has three students on MIP internships. McKenzie Cherestal (Evanston, IL), a senior law enforcement and justice administration major, who is interning with the Niles (IL) Police Department; Dail Rice (Rock Island, IL), a WIU-Quad Cities campus master's candidate in counseling who is interning at Rock Island High School; and Robert Shelby (Macomb, IL), a master's candidate in sociology who is interning at The Crossing in Macomb. Previously, MIP students have interned throughout the continental U.S. and Alaska as well as London, Hong Kong and Australia.
"Through financial support and mentoring, it is our hope we can provide an enhanced experience for the interns who have been selected to represent WIU. The MIP is designed to make the internship experience easier and more rewarding for these exceptional students," stated MIP campus co-chairs Alphonso Simpson Jr., AAS interim chair, and Fran Hainline, office support specialist.
To apply, undergraduates must be at least a fulltime junior with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Fulltime graduate students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.Applications for Summer and Fall 2010 semester internships are available in the African American studies office in Morgan Hall 232. For more information, call the AAS department at (309) 298-2282.
An e-mail has been sent to all qualified students inviting them to apply. Interested students who have questions about their qualifications should call (309) 298-1181, e-mail MIP@wiu.edu or visit the African American studies office. Students at WIU-Quad Cities can contact Curtis Williams, (309) 762-1495, or e-mail CM-Williams11@wiu.edu, for information or applications.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: