Inclusive Internship Project

The community needs a strong workforce—beyond quantity of workers, our economy will benefit from the contributions of quality employees. This includes not only technical skills, but also excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability for self-management. These “soft skills” can be learned on-the-job, but students who learn these early will be able to contribute to their companies faster and more efficiently. By participating in the Inclusive Internship Project, students are gaining valuable experience, a stipend appropriated to the number of hours worked, and aiding in the growth of greater Madison area small/medium, government, and not-for-profit businesses.

Enriched learning experiences - such as internships - play a critical role in students’ personal and professional development, but unpaid internships may also create financial barriers for students. We believe that internship experiences and experience should be equally accessible to all students. Thanks to the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation's gift to Edgewood College, we are able to provide stipends to undergraduate students through the Inclusive Internship Project. This program this program supports students while participating in an internship with an organization that would otherwise by unpaid.

Internship Eligibility Requirements

Please see the Edgewood College Internship Definition for more information on how an internship is defined and approved at Edgewood College.

Students may already have an internship arranged OR obtain assistance finding an internship through the Inclusive Internship Project Coordinator in Career Development. Available internships from already partnered organizations can be found on Handshake by using the "Inclusive Internship Project Partner" filter on the Job search function.

Selection Criteria 

Stipends are offered on a rolling, first-come, first-served, basis. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as an internship opportunity is identified and/or as soon as there is interested in participating in the program and finding an internship. The stipend is guaranteed when the Contract between the Student and their internship Organization has been completed, submitted and fully approved. The Inclusive Internship Project can support 40 students total within one academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Students who have an unpaid internship are encouraged to apply. Students who are looking for an internship in Dane County are encouraged to apply. 

Student Eligibility Requirements   

• - Student must be enrolled as an undergraduate at Edgewood College
• - Student must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
• - Student must be able to enroll in an Edgewood College internship during the term they are interning
• - Student must be a degree-seeking student
• - If Student has not completed the Internship Prep Course at Edgewood College prior to an internship, student must complete the Internship Prep Course modules on Blackboard during the term of their internship

How to Apply

• Student Application on Handshake

Don’t have a Handshake account yet? Students can activate their account by using their Edgewood College student email and password. Please use this quick video if you need help logging on. 

Organization Eligibility Requirements 

• - Organization must be at least one of the following: Not-for-profit; Government agency; Small to medium size start-up/business
• - Organization must reside within Dane County, WI
• - Organization must be able to provide and on-site internship supervisor when an intern is present
• - Organization has internships that are unpaid - Organization must be able to demonstrate the need for financial assistance for an intern
• - Organization must agree to the Terms and Conditions of participation in the Inclusive Internship Project, and understand that participation requires some additional work for the student intern and on-site supervisor

Organization Eligibility Requirements 

Don’t have a Handshake account yet? Organizations can create a free Employers account in minutes. Please use the Employer Handshake Help Center if you need help creating and setting up an account. 

Student FAQ

How/when do I get paid?

Students will get paid the stipend in two halves during the semester they are interning. The first half will be paid out at the mid-term, and the remaining amount will be paid out at the end of the term. Payments are paid out once the student has submitted their hours, with supervisor signature, as well as submitted their assessments and any additional work required of the Inclusive Internship Project and their internship course.

My internship is two-semesters long; can I be paid both semesters?

At this time, students may only receive the stipend for their internship for one semester, even if the internship extends beyond one semester.

How do I find an internship?

There are many routes a student can go to find an internship! Please reach out to one of these staff members for help:

• Ian McArthur, Assistant Director of Career Development, imcarthur@edgewood.edu
• Sheila Kronberg, Director of Career Development, skronberg@edgewood.edu

What’s the deadline to apply?

To participate in the full-semester, deadlines are two days before the official college Course Add/Drop date. Please look at the Academic Calendar for the most up-to-date information. 

How do I know I am participating in the Inclusive Internship Project and am guaranteed a stipend?

Official participation in the Inclusive Internship Project is once the Contract is created, submitted, and fully approved by your on-site internship supervisor and the Inclusive Internship Project Coordinator. You will receive an email that confirms the completion of your Contract, where you will be given the hours tracking timesheet. Creating and submitting the contract is the Third (and final) step in the process.

What are my options for an internship course?

Option 1: If you major/minor requires you to take an internship course to graduate, you can choose to enroll in that course. Please speak to your faculty advisor(s) if this is the route you need to go so you enroll in the correct course(s).

Option 2: Institutional Course (IC) 470 or 475 through the Career Development Department or a faculty of your choosing.

• IC 470 – a general for-credit internship course offered by Edgewood College. Can be taken for anywhere between 1-16 credits, depending on how many hours the internship is.
• IC 475 – a general zero-credit internship course offered by Edgewood College

Organization FAQ

Does this cost anything to the organization to be a partner?

Nope – it costs nothing at all to be a partner! By filling out an application you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of being a partner, if eligible to be a partner and are accepted.

How many internships do I need to provide?

As many as your organization needs! We cannot guarantee you any student interns, but post as many (or as little) internships as you’d like each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and we will work on promoting them on our campus for students to apply to.

How do I find a student intern?

The best way to connect with Edgewood College students is to post your open internships on Handshake. This is the online career system we use on campus and direct our students to use when searching for anything from internships, part-/full-time jobs, volunteering, and other career development opportunities!