Summer Internship Grants

The Macalester Summer Internship Grant (MSIG) provides funding for unpaid internships so Macalester students may have access to invaluable, career enhancing summer experiences.

The submission timeframe for 2023 applications has closed.

The full information packet is found at this link.

See the “Past Recipients” section below for 2022 awardee information.

MSIG Overview

Summer internships offer robust learning and work experiences that help students advance their academic interests and careers. Unfortunately, a number of great internships are unpaid, rendering them inaccessible for many students with limited financial resources. To help address this, Macalester College will provide grants for students to complete 10-week unpaid internships in Summer 2023 that help defray living costs for the duration of the unpaid internship, including housing, travel, food, etc.

We offer two grant levels:

$6,000 for full-time internships (35-40 hours per week for 10 weeks)
$3,000 for half-time internships (~20 hours per week for 10 weeks)

The number of students initially selected into the cohort assumes that all students intend to complete full-time internships. However, should a student wish to reduce their stipend amount to pursue a half-time internship position, those leftover funds will be offered to another student on the waitlist.

Student Eligibility

Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are currently enrolled and who will return to Macalester (either on-campus or through a Study Away program) for the 2023-24 academic year
Committed to working full-time (35-40 hours) or half-time (~20 hours) at an organization for 10 weeks between May 15th and August 25th, 2023
Good standing with the college (academic and conduct)
Has not/will not receive an additional substantial award from Macalester (e.g. students cannot receive the MSIG award AND a scholarship/grant from an academic department)
Has not been awarded MSIG funds in past years
Must have an internship offer in hand by Thursday, May 4th, 2023
Cannot work in additional positions through Macalester in Summer 2023

Selection Criteria

As funds are limited, the Macalester Summer Internship Grant gives preference for students who have financial need. Students who have received MSIG funding in previous years are ineligible to apply.

In the application, students should also demonstrate the following:

Self-reflection and vision	Student can articulate their interests, skills, strengths and values. Student can convey how these connect these to their academic path and areas of interest.
Problem-solving	Student shows ability to respond with flexibility and take proactive steps towards solutions.
Growth mindset	Student demonstrates curiosity and willingness to learn.
Bias towards action	Student conveys a willingness to move forward with an idea, try new things, make mistakes and learn as they go.

Important Dates

Thursday, January 19th: Application opens
Monday, March 6th at 8:00 a.m. CST: Applications due
Tuesday, March 21st: Decision notifications sent to candidates
Thursdays, March 23rd, April 6th, and April 20th: Required cohort meetings
Friday, April 28th: Internship registration deadline (for students who have secured an internship by this date)
Thursday, May 4th: Deadline for participants to have an internship offer in hand
Tuesday, May 9th: Internship registration extended deadline
Monday, May 15th: Internship season begins
Friday, August 25th: Internship season ends

Internship Site Eligibility

Internships should primarily be with non-profits, NGOs, small start-up companies, and government entities anywhere in the world. All internship sites must be able to demonstrate the capacity to provide a stable, well-supervised, quality learning experience for the student. They must also commit to providing Macalester with comprehensive feedback on the work of the student and compliance with Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines (U.S. sites only). International internships may not be in countries that appear on the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Level 3 or 4.

Internship sites that may not qualify:

Any internship that is paid (an hourly rate). Internships receiving small stipends (e.g. housing or living stipends) may still be considered for funding.
Laboratory-based research in academic settings (Macalester provides support for this kind of research through Endowed Summer Research Funds, See the Olin Rice Hub’s website for more information.) We may consider research in other non-academic settings and in a broader range of disciplines. This might include research in social sciences, government, health, and environment. If in doubt, we encourage you to contact us.
Internships with organizations owned or operated by immediate family members.
Internships involved with direct proselytizing for religious work or for a political campaign.
Corporate and private sector internships; exceptions have been made in fields that historically do not pay interns, including media, entertainment, etc. Consult with Career Exploration.
This grant can not be used to pay for a program or program fees.

Application Process

The application will be open from January 19th at 8:00 a.m. CST to March 6th at 8:00 am CST. Students are encouraged to apply without having a confirmed internship. Though students with internship offers already in hand may apply as well! We believe that this reduces barriers to entry for students so that they do not have to commit to unpaid opportunities prior to knowing if they will be funded for the internship experience. In addition to selecting awardees, the selection committee will also select a waitlist of students who may be offered the grant during the spring semester should funds become available.

In March and April, students selected to receive the award will engage in cohort-based programming to help them secure an internship for the summer, build community within the cohort, and develop career-based skills and competencies. Students need to have an internship secured by May 4th. If a student rescinds the award offer, either at the beginning of the program or during the spring semester, another student from the waitlist will be offered the award.

Steps to Submit Your Application

Read the information packet in its entirety (includes the application preview)
Submit your application on the MSIG Handshake job posting by clicking the “Quick Apply” button on the posting – no additional forms or documents need to be submitted!
Submit the Google application form, which will include:
1. Uploading your responses to short-answer prompts in video format
2. Uploading your resume

4. Find a faculty or staff recommender willing to fill out the Faculty/Staff Reference Form on your behalf (this should be someone who can speak positively about your candidacy in the program)

Application Review

The selection committee will review your application beginning on Monday, March 6th
Decisions will be sent out either on or before Tuesday, March 21st
Students must either accept or decline the award and RSVP to the first cohort meeting taking place on Thursday, March 23rd

Requirements and Expectations for Funded Students

Attend three pre-summer cohort meetings during the spring semester
Complete all internship paperwork and register the summer internship for one credit ideally by April 28th. (Tuition cost of the one credit in summer will be waived.)
Participate in the full 10 weeks of the MSIG program
Complete career-focused assignments and attend three small group meetings over the course of the summer
Maintain contact with the Faculty Sponsor and submit all internship paperwork on time (Two Week Check-In, Self-Evaluation/Reflection, and timesheet).
Produce a Google website summarizing the internship at the end of the term
Participating in the Summer Showcase in Fall 2023 is encouraged, but not required

Payment of Students

Students will receive their grant paid out in two installments over the course of the summer for their 10 week internship. The purpose of this grant is to offset the costs of living/travel expenses during the internship.

The award will be treated as taxable income for federal and state income tax purposes and Macalester will issue a Form 1099-Misc to US citizens and permanent residents and a corresponding copy to the IRS. International students will receive this information on Form 1042-S which can be accessed through the Glacier Tax Software used by International Student Programs. Students should consult their parents or a tax advisor for federal and state income tax filing questions.If you have questions, please contact Jinna Johnson ([email protected]) in Career Exploration.

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