Donor gifts pave way for student internship success

Last summer, University of Michigan School of Information students received more than $120,000 to support them in pursuing their dream internships. 

With the generous support of the Ehrenberg Internship Fund and other donors, 100% of students who applied for a grant and had underpaid or unpaid internships were awarded funding.  

Funding allows students pursuing internships at startup companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies to receive the experience they need without worrying about finances. 

For students who are financially independent, paying for school on their own or coming from less privileged backgrounds, the funding UMSI provides grants them the ability to advance their career without worrying about living expenses. 

“Internships are an equalizing factor,” says Katie Dunn, associate director of the Career Development Office. “They level the playing field and give everyone an opportunity to further their career. In the past, we’ve seen students who come from less privileged backgrounds struggle to accept unpaid internships. 

“Having this grant support is instrumental for them in helping them get the experience they want and need for their career.” 

Historically, UMSI’s Career Development Office was able to support a limited number of students who participate in unpaid or low-paying internships. Thanks to the generous support of donors, the CDO is now able to support all students pursuing internships. 

According to data collected by the CDO, 94% of students who pursue internships say their experience made them better prepared for their field of choice, placing internships as the #1 way to forge connections with employers, get hands-on experience and make future connections. 

“The internship grant was very helpful because it gave me the assistance I needed to be able to pursue my internship fully without worrying that I would lose money I needed to pay for my degree,” says Nerissa Godfrey, a Master of Science in Information student. “The CDO internship grant not only helped me to pursue my internship, but will also help my future career by allowing me to gain hands-on experience and continue my education with UMSI.” 

Godfrey, who is pursuing a focus in library science, worked at the Traverse Area District Library. She says the internship was “highly positive” and gave her the opportunity to learn about the internal functions of a library. 

“I helped work on many projects with the library, but one of my favorite projects was helping to catalog the library’s local history collection,” Godfrey says. “I also enjoyed shadowing librarians in their daily work, which was another major aspect of my internship. Shadowing them allowed me to see how they solved problems and assisted patrons, and it gave me a lot of insight into their careers and roles as librarians that I know I might not have been exposed to otherwise.” 

Laura Petersen, another MSI student, also worked at a library for her internship. Through the internship grant funding, Petersen was able to gain experience through the Interlochen Center for the Arts’ academic library. 

“Because Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit, and their internship compensation reflects that, I could not have afforded choosing that internship without the CDO grant,” Petersen says. “This internship gave me many new skills and network connections to advance my career. I will especially highlight that not only did I discover an interest and skill in book repair, but my supervisor was able to help me build on that by introducing me to the head of the conservation and preservation department at a major university library.” 

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To learn more about career development opportunities available to UMSI students, visit the CDO website.