A new internship endowment hopes to allow students the opportunity to gain work experience before graduation
Deanna Langer
Staff Writer
During this year’s Convocation, President Grant Cornwell announced the creation of a $100,000 fund that will support experiential learning opportunities for students. Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to students with unpaid internships, entrepreneurial projects and other scholarships.
The endowment was created in conjunction with the new APEX program, the College’s revamped career services and academic advising center.
Students visiting APEX can now search for internships with the help of specially trained staff members. These employees can also assist students in developing their funding requests and proposals.
Cornwell said that APEX “will, at the same time, be developing the number and kinds of opportunities our students have access to by reaching out to alumni, and local, national and global organizations.”
APEX and the $100,000 fund are just the first steps in a total remodeling of Wooster’s internship program.
“I am committed to seeing this program grow with each passing year,” said Cornwell, who is prepared to increase the available funds as the plan develops.
In the past, students looking for internship funding had few available options. Among them, the Lilly Project offered support for a small number of student internships, while many academic departments provided monetary assistance for internships in specific fields, like journalism or medical research. Until now, those students whose summer jobs fit neither of those criteria struggled to find internship opportunities.
John Ramsey, Associate Dean of Experiential Learning, said the new plan will support internships of all types.
Ramsey also remarked that the staff has yet to determine how many students the $100,000 grant will be able to fund. He speculated that at least thirty students would receive money this summer. However, APEX staff will continue to help students find existing paid internships.
“The idea of ‘learning through doing’ is a powerful way for students to understand how to translate their Wooster education into life after college,” said Henry Kreuzman, Dean for Curriculum and Academic Engagement.
APEX is also home to the career planning office, the academic advising center, the Learning Center, the Entrepeunership office and the Registrar. As the year continues,
APEX will be holding a number of internship information sessions and a call for student scholarship proposals.
APEX is located on the lower level of Gault Library, and is open Monday through Friday.