In order to better serve our scholars, this year the Wentcher Foundation expanded Career Development with a new Internship Initiative.
Spearheading this program are Wentcher Program staff and Alumni leadership, with Nia Harris, hired as Internship Program Assistant in November 2020. Nia is a Wentcher Scholar alumna who graduated from NYU this past May with a degree in Africana Studies. She is currently a Fulbright Scholar waiting to begin her English teaching assistantship fellowship in Kenya.
As part of the Wentcher Foundation’s Internship Initiative, staff research and share paid internship opportunities based on one of five chosen career pathways: Business, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. Not only are these internships found through research, but also through the Wentcher network of alumni and corporations specifically seeking out the unique talents of our bright scholars.
Additionally, staff and alumni spend time giving scholars advice on how to find internships on their own, how to land internships, and how to navigate various difficulties they may come across in this process especially during the time of COVID-19.
Since the Internship Initiative started in November, over 125 paid internship opportunities have been sourced and communicated to Wentcher Scholars, and we have received encouraging feedback from our scholars that this initiative has been successful. Scholars shared finding diverse opportunities that fit their interests and greatly appreciate the time-savings the listings provide. Additionally, several students applied to opportunities for which they have been interviewed or hired.
In the future we are looking to expand to be able to help provide scholars with funding who may need to take an unpaid position for their career path, as well as provide direct peer mentoring for our scholars.
To connect with a member of our Wentcher Staff about this initiative, please reach Program Assistant, Nia Harris at nia@wentcherfoundation.org, or Director of Programs, Cassie Brooks at cassie@wentcherfoundation.or