STUDENTS:
Intern with a local non-profit and receive up to $5,000 per semester!
Help our local community while gaining real-world, resumé-building experience while enjoying generous financial support.
The U Service Corps connects students from across campus to service-oriented internships with some of Utah’s most notable community-based organizations, all while making college more affordable.
U Service Corps Fellows will be placed in nonprofits, K-12 schools, and public agencies where they will perform substantive work that has a real-world impact.
Students can receive the following benefits:
Up to $5,000 ($18 per hour throughout the service term and scholarship each semester)
Up to three credits of HNKLY 4909
Professional experience and skills to add to their resume
Training, networking, and professional development
Step-by-Step:
Student Experiences:
"I interned at the Policy Project, a nonprofit organization focused on eliminating barriers to opportunity through health policy. Some responsibilities include policy writing, research, community engagement, media outreach, and various administrative tasks. I went into my internship expecting to learn a lot about policy and I definitely have, but I also learned a lot about the operations and running of a nonprofit. It definitely gave me a deeper appreciation of non-profit work in general. It was so impactful to see how this work changes people's lives."
“My Hinckley internship with The Salt Lake Tribune was transformative. I interned with their business development team and was able to play a key role in helping to transition an established newspaper into a nonprofit ‘community asset.’ My Hinckley Internship allowed me to make an impact on an issue that I am passionate about — the perpetuation of independent and local journalism at a time when our society and democracy need it most. I sharpened my research and writing skills and gained a more clear vision of the path I want my career to take. Receiving a stipend from the Tribune allowed me to focus my efforts on my internship and school work without having to juggle additional employment."
"Through the Hinckley Institute, I was able to intern with the Baskerville Institute, a nonprofit in Salt Lake City. The goals of their organization is to foster friendship between Iranians and Americans. As an intern, my role was to create graphics for the institute for various publications and digital use, research online courses for their education initiatives, edit and maintain the website, create promotional videos, help plan events, and assist in writing grant proposals. I especially loved working with Afghan refugees and learning from the webinars we hosted. I recommend every student applies for a local internship, they will not regret it."
Frequently Asked Questions
The U Service Corps is a pilot program with the dual purpose of placing students in internships to support local nonprofits, government and other organizations and providing students with valuable professional experience while they serve the community.
The U Service Corps provides students with up to $5,000 per semester - $3,000 in scholarship money and $2,160 in wages/living allowance - and course credit. Scholarship recipients will perform 120 hours of service per semester (10 hours per week at $18 an hour) with state and community organizations.
The U Service Corps is open to all students. The university’s goal is to expand the scholarship over three years to support 1,000 students.
No. The Hinckley Institute will identify and work with host offices to place students.
The University of Utah is focused on providing a world-class education and transformative learning experiences while remaining affordable for our students.
College students need financial support so they can complete their degrees on time and with less debt. Students also need on-the-job experience that helps them transition successfully to the workforce once they graduate.
At the same time, there are many unfilled volunteer and internship openings with schools, nonprofit organizations and government offices in Utah, which limits their capacity to serve Utah residents.
The university hopes this program will create a generation of service-minded leaders, problem solvers and bridge buildings and provide non-profit, government and other community organizations with capable, engaged volunteers.
The U anticipates the U Service Corps will become a model program that can be implemented at other USHE schools across the state. This scholarship meets the U’s commitments to create model initiatives, to provide a first-class education, to serve our communities and to partner with USHE institutions.
Have more questions? Contact info@hinckley.utah.edu
For Host Offices:
Mission
U Service Corps students will receive financial assistance from the University of Utah and professional opportunities while serving in nonprofits and public sector organizations. The primary goals will be:
- Address societal challenges and help build more equitable communities while increasing community and civic engagement, and improving social ties and trust in institutions.
- Help Utah students graduate on time and with less debt while providing transformative opportunities and increasing career readiness.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Currently in Utah, there are too many unfilled volunteer and internship roles with nonprofits and government offices. This limits the capacity of these organizations to serve Utah residents.
- The University of Utah is focused on providing a world-class education and transformative learning experiences while remaining affordable for our students. Expanding access to scholarships through programs like U Service Corps will enhance the college experience while increasing college affordability
Host Office Qualifications
Interns work part-time, 10-20 hours per week, for the length of the semester (around 3.5 months).
Duties must be substantive.
Supervisors will evaluate the intern’s work and verify their work hours at the end of the semester, which is a component of the student’s internship course grade.
Host offices must have a dedicated workspace; exceptions can be made for political campaigns.
Host Office Best Practices
Provide interns with real work assignments: research, writing, event planning, volunteer engagement, etc.
Work should be challenging and recognized by the organization as valuable.
Establish an intern training routine to orient students with their workspace, schedule, work expectations, and intern responsibilities. This serves not only as a guide but can also answer questions and communicate rules and processes.
Have an intern manager or mentor. Interns need a go-to person who is organized, patient, and enjoys working with young people and teaching skills. Providing feedback is important.
Encourage team involvement. Introduce the intern to the whole organization to provide a bigger picture of the work and provide more opportunities for the staff to use the interns skills.
Testimonials:
“Working with University of Utah Hinckley interns and interns provided invaluable support to our work at United Way of Salt Lake. We were able to work with passionate, smart, and dedicated students who did direct work and capacity building. One student took on a project researching corporate volunteerism trends that had been long on our to do list and provided insights that helped us strategize for greater engagement. Other interns helped with project management for major events like Read Across America Day, and others provided boots-on-the-ground support for a tutoring program we launched in elementary school classrooms. I’ve been grateful for how these students improved upon the work we were doing. I’ve also loved to watch them continue to grow in their education and careers!”
"The greatest value of hosting interns is that we support and provide valuable life learning experiences, opportunities to develop their personal and professional skills, and opportunities to make a change in our community.
Student interns have assisted supporting Spanish-speaking, immigrant, and undocumented families navigate social services and apply for assistance. This work has contributed to the goal of empowering Latinx individuals to recognize and achieve their potential and be a positive force for change in the larger community."