SoC Internship Award Program

FOR SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION STUDENTS ONLY: All School of Communication undergraduate students are eligible to apply for the award programs, but priority will be given to undergraduate majors.

Goals/Objective of the program:  The goal of this program is to support current School of Communication undergraduate majors with demonstrated financial need who have accepted (or who are planning on securing) an unpaid or low paid internship in industries that traditionally do not pay their interns. The awards provide a $3,500 grant to help offset living expenses over the summer. These awards are limited to current undergraduate students who will be enrolled for at least fall quarter 2024.

Descriptions of the program funding: Funded by the generosity of donors, the Internship Award program enables School of Communication majors to pursue unpaid or low paid internships. Prospective employers and graduate programs have expectations that viable candidates will have at least one internship experience through the course of their academic experience. The program is open to School of Communication undergraduates only.

Eligibility Requirements: NU Qatar students are not eligible for this award program however Qatar students can apply for NCA’s Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) award, https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/programs-opportunities/sigp/

  • Must be a School of Communication Evanston based undergraduate student.
  • Must work a minimum of 280 hours at an internship over the course of summer 2024.
  • Must be in good academic standing and in good standing with the Office of Community Standards and the Dean of Students.
  • Internship must be unpaid or low paid (~$1500 or less). Priority is given to applicants with financial need pursuing unpaid internships.
  • Students must have a demonstrated financial need; however, consideration will be given to those students who are facing extenuating financial circumstances.
  • Previous award recipients cannot receive the same award multiple times but are eligible to receive a different award.
  • Students are considered for any SoC internship award that they are qualified to receive.
  • Students are NOT required to have an internship confirmed before applying; however, they must have secured an internship no later than Monday, June 3, 2024.
  • If awarded, the SoC Internship Award CANNOT be combined with any other summer grants/awards from Northwestern.

Application deadlines and schedule:  

  • Monday, February 19: Application Live 
  • Monday, March 25 (11:59 p.m.): Application Deadline  
  • Friday, April 12: Notify applicants regarding their status.
  • Friday, April 19:  Student Acceptance Deadline  

The Internship award program is funded by the following donors: 

The Bomback Internship Award | Established in 2018 and is made possible through the generosity of Tema and Mark Bomback. It is open to all SoC majors who obtain a summer internship in New York or Los Angeles. 

The Hammerschlag Internship Award | This award is made possible by the generous donation of the Hammerschlag family, in memory of Jessica Hammerschlag ’95, which provides funding to students interning over the summer quarter in any city. 

The Molotsky Internship Award | Barbara Molotsky has generously donated funds to defray the living expenses associated with interning outside of the Chicagoland area. Preference is given to students who are pursuing internships in the fields of marketing, communication, entertainment, and theatre. 

The Pate-Sanders Internship Award | Melissa and Ron Sanders’ donation helps to defray living expenses for a student interning in a digital media organization for the summer.

Joann Torretta Endowed Internship Award | Provides support to undergraduate SoC students who work in unpaid and/or low paid summer internships. Prioritized preferences are given to students pursuing an internship in television or radio. 

The WCLV Internship Award | This award was made possible by the generous donation of Robert Conrad and the late Jean Conrad, to provide funding for students interning over the summer in any market. While all SoC majors are welcome to apply, preference is given to students with internships in the radio industry. 

For more information, please contact:

Kimberley Cornwell
Associate Director, EPICS | School of Communication
Email: k-cornwell@northwestern.edu

Award
$3,500.00
Scopes
Career , School of Communication
Deadline
04/01/2024
Supplemental Questions
  1. Degree (you are seeking):
  2. Program/Major:
  3. Class Level:
  4. Have you secured a confirmed internship?
  5. If you selected "No" above, where are you in the process and what are your next steps to ensure you obtain an internship? Write "N/A" if you have confirmed an internship.
  6. Where is your internship located? Write "N/A" if you are still searching for an internship. 
  7. Tell us your work schedule (i.e.: 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 10 weeks)? Write "N/A" if you have yet to secure an internship. 
  8. I acknowledge that my internship must meet a minimum of 280 working hours over the course of the summer.
  9. Is your internship paid, unpaid, or low paid?
  10. What career strategies and/or platforms did you use to obtain this internship?
  11. Essay Questions: The SoC Internship Award Program strives to help relieve the financial burden for students who are pursuing unpaid or low paid summer internships. Your responses to the following questions will give the review committee an insight into your goals, interests, and career development. Please answer the following questions as two separate essays labeled “Essay 1” and “Essay 2” respectively. We encourage you to first draft your essays in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word to utilize the grammar and spell check functions. Copy and paste your essays in the text box. This will enable the selection committee to read your application more easily. 
    • Essay 1 & 2: Essay 1 (500-word limit): Describe the summer internship you have secured or would like to secure. In your answer, explain what you hope to learn or gain from this experience as well as the core function of the organization or department where the internship resides. Please be specific and provide multiple examples. If you have applied to multiple opportunities, choose one to focus on in this essay.

      Essay 2 (500-word limit): How will this internship contribute to your academic and career goals? Please include details for the committee to best understand you as an applicant.
    • Supplemental Essay 3 (Optional): If you have any financial information or additional details about personal or family circumstances that is not reflected in your One Form General Application, please elaborate on your financial need (250 words). Please write “N/A” if you do not want to add any more information. 
  12. Please upload a copy of your resume.
  13. Information Release:
    • 1. I understand that the School of Communication will perform a student conduct check with the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (for undergraduates) regarding my disciplinary record at Northwestern and that this information will be used in determining my eligibility for an internship award. I also understand that my financial aid package will be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid. 
    • 2. Please list full name and ID number to confirm understanding:
  14. Photo Release:
  15. Thank You Notes:
  16. Show 10 more