Illustration by istock
aises.org
The AISES Internship Program provides students with applied work experience and an opportunity to explore career options. Placing students in 10-week summer positions with partner organizations, the program also promotes advanced study to the graduate level and assists students in developing professional networks. Interns are provided with round-trip airfare or mileage to the internship site, a weekly stipend, dormitory lodging, and a local transportation allowance. Past internship partners have included the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Land Management, Oracle, and Bonneville Power. To be eligible, applicants must be AISES members; a full-time undergrad or grad student; and an enrolled member or descendant of an enrolled member of a federally or state recognized American Indian Tribe, Alaska Native Village, or Native Hawaiian, or or a descendant of a Native Hawaiian.
wpi.edu/academics/pre-collegiate/summer-programs/frontiers
Pre-college students interested in earning college credit can participate in an online five-week summer program through the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Participants experience WPI’s renowned faculty while exploring a STEM discipline and have access to WPI tutoring to ensure that they earn full credit for their work. Most courses are live virtual, while others are asynchronous and recorded. Applicants should be entering grade 11 or 12 and meet other requirements.
ahec.wisc.edu/chip
College students with an interest in public, community, or population health can benefit from an eight-week paid internship offered by the Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers Community Health Internship Program (CHIP). Interns are able to work and learn locally at tribal health centers and community health departments as they gain skills and experience along with an appreciation for the wide range of services provided by these centers. Internship work arrangements can be flexible — remote, on site, or hybrid. Interns must be a Wisconsin resident or a college student in the state and meet other requirements.
collegehorizons.org
The nonprofit College Horizons is focused on increasing the number of Indigenous students who succeed in college. Every summer the College Horizons program gathers Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian high school sophomores and juniors to work with college admissions officers, college counselors, essay specialists, and other educators in six days of workshops focused on understanding the admissions process and finding a college that’s right for them. Workshop participants are equipped with the tools to make their college goals a reality. The program is open to students who are Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian; are high school sophomores and juniors; are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; and meet other requirements.
In the Spotlight
NRCS Internships
usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers paid internship opportunities for students from high school through graduate school. Prospective interns should be attending an accredited secondary school, college, or university (including community colleges, certificate programs, and home schooling). Interns represent many fields of study starting with science and agriculture, but also including a range of other disciplines like management, business, and technology. Internships are offered during the summer and academic terms year-round. NRCS internships are part of the agency’s Pathways Program, which also offers the Recent Graduate Program, for participants who have obtained a degree or qualifying certificate, and the Presidential Management Fellows Program, a competitive leadership development program for recent graduates.
nasp.ucr.edu/events/gathering-of-the-tribes-srp
The University of California Riverside (UCR) hosts the annual Gathering of the Tribes Summer Internship, an eight-day residential experience for middle and high school students. Interns participate in college-level courses and personal development and cultural workshops. The experience gives participants a chance to interact with UCR faculty, staff, and students, especially with members of the Indigenous campus community. The internship includes ongoing mentoring through high school to help participants make college choices, apply for financial aid, and elect courses. The program covers housing, meals, books and supplies, and transportation to activities. Applicants must be entering the 9th through 12th grades, plan to attend college, and meet other requirements.
aises.org/scholarships/geocomply-internship
AISES partner GeoComply is a leader in compliance solutions and digital crime prevention in areas like cybersecurity and geo-location detection technology. Through two summer opportunities, college students are able to work as a business development intern in Las Vegas or a field performance intern in New York. This paid internship is full time for 10 weeks; housing and a transportation allowance are provided. Applicants should be majoring in a field relevant to the internship and meet other requirements.
usgs.gov/youth-and-education-in-science/geology-summer-fellows-program
The Geology Fellows Summer Program was established in 1965, making it one of the oldest STEM internships in the country and the longest continuously running opportunity in the Earth sciences. More than 2,400 students from all STEM disciplines have participated in the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)-USGS Cooperative Summer Fellowship Program. Participants are nominated by the director of a geoscience field camp (a standard in the education of geoscientists) and matched by USGS scientists with paid programs lasting 10–12 weeks. Projects may be based in the field, in the laboratory, or both. Projects may be extended and continue for up to four years, depending on budgets and science center needs. If appointments are extended beyond one year, benefits and a plan for advancement kick in. Candidates can be in any STEM discipline and must be U.S. citizens.
usd.edu/medicine
To serve an increasingly multicultural population, the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, with an emphasis on talented Native American students. The school’s Indians into Medicine (INMED) program assists Native premed students, starting in middle school and continuing through a professional degree in a health care field. All USD students can also benefit from Native Student Services (NSS), which offers an array of year-round support programs anchored at the Native American Cultural Center. Applicants to the INMED Summer Institute should be Native American middle or high school students from South Dakota and Nebraska. Eligibility varies for academic year programs.
kplaunch.kaiserpermanente.org
Kaiser Permanente’s KP Launch internship programs offer high school juniors and seniors and undergraduate students in college, community college, or a vocational or trade school paid opportunities in the organization’s Northern California headquarters, administrative offices, medical offices, and medical centers. The program goal is to positively engage young adults from underrepresented communities and build a pipeline of diverse talent to provide culturally competent health care to the increasingly diverse communities served by Kaiser Permanente. KP Launch interns are part of a supportive team and are given opportunities to develop leadership and practical professional skills while exploring nonmedical administrative and supporting careers in a health care environment (interns do not participate in providing treatment or procedures to patients).
sickkids.ca/en/learning/patient-family-education/kids-science/#summer
Indigenous, Black, and Filipino high school students are eligible for this six-week paid internship opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art laboratory at the SickKids Research Institute. (SickKids is a children’s hospital associated with the University of Toronto.) Interns interact with the lab’s researchers and scientists while developing lab skills and work on their own research project. At the end of the internship, they have an opportunity to present their findings at a research symposium. Applicants must be at least 16 years old, in grade 11 or 12, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and meet other requirements.
techgirlz.org
Middle school girls can explore technology and build skills during a diverse range of hands-on, interactive summer “techshopz” and camps. TechGirlz programs are powered by CompTIA Spark, the nonprofit social impact arm of CompTIA (the Computer Technology Industry Association). With a mission of engaging young people in technology, CompTIA Spark has a mission of making technology accessible, exciting, and inclusive for youth. TechGirlz offers both in-person and virtual workshops and camps and caters to the needs and preferences of participants with a broad spectrum of topics, such as coding, game development, cybersecurity, and more. These programs not only impart valuable technical skills but also contribute to building confidence and nurturing a sense of community among the young girls who participate. TechShopz are free and open to girls and those who identify as girls in grades five through eight.