Professional Practice Internships
Benefits of the 35-hour-per-week, 11-month internship:
- ACADEMIC
- Ability to directly apply and further develop skills and knowledge gained in the classroom.
- Multiple possible topics and resources for capstone or thesis research.
- Structured reflection, evaluation, and documentation of the experience.
- Support from Stevenson Center faculty and staff.
- Up to 8 semester hours toward the Master’s degree.
- PROFESSIONAL
- Typically allows for full responsibility for one or more projects.
- Chance to delve deeper into and to better understand development issues.
- Networking opportunities.
- Possible job offer and valuable references for future employment.
- FINANCIAL
- PERSONAL
- Placement process that emphasizes service and students’ input.
- Immersion in an organization and its community.
- Knowing that you have made a difference and that you are not the only one benefiting from your graduate study.
After one calendar year on campus, Fellows serve for 11 months (35 hours/week) with organizations that need their expertise. Host organizations are as varied as our students. To see where current Fellows and alumni completed their internships, visit the professional practice column on our current students and alumni pages. The kinds of skills applied and level of responsibility allow alumni to pursue development work both in the U.S. and overseas.
Most placements are in the state of Illinois, although Fellows have been placed from Alaska to Alabama. Peace Corps Fellows are required by the Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program to be placed in underserved communities in the continental United States. Placement for grant-supported sites may be determined before Fellows reach campus.
