A $150,000
Career Ready Internship Initiative grant will help students at the University
of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources gain real-world
experience in their fields of study.
The
grant, from the Great Lakes
Higher Education Guaranty Corporation, will
fund internships so natural resources students are paid while gaining valuable
career-ready experience. At least 25 new paid internships will be created for
juniors and seniors who don’t receive enough financial aid to cover college
costs.
“All
too often students with financial need choose higher paying summer positions
outside their field of study, putting them at a competitive disadvantage when
applying for permanent jobs,” said Paul Doruska, associate dean for academic
affairs in the College of Natural Resources. “This grant will provide a great
opportunity for more of our students to develop skills in their chosen field,
earn money to make ends meet and be more competitive in the job market after
graduation.”
UW-Stevens
Point will collaborate with businesses and nonprofit organizations in Wisconsin
and the Midwest to create these new paid internships. “We are also excited for
the opportunity to establish new partnerships with businesses and agencies
within the region,” Doruska said.
A
formal application process will be in place for students by late November.
UW-Stevens
Point is one of 19 Wisconsin colleges and universities to receive some of the
more than $2.5 million in Career Ready Internship Initiative grant funds
awarded by Great Lakes Corp. The grant will allow an estimated 1,300 Wisconsin
students to take on unpaid internships.